PROSPECTUS
OFI CARLYLE PRIVATE CREDIT FUND
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
June 1, 2018
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is operated as an interval fund.
Investment Objective. The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by opportunistically allocating its assets across a wide range of credit strategies. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Interval Fund. The Fund is designed primarily for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle. The Fund is an “interval fund” (defined below) pursuant to which it, subject to applicable law, will conduct quarterly repurchase offers for between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s outstanding shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) at net asset value (“NAV”). In connection with any given repurchase offer, it is likely that the Fund may offer to repurchase only the minimum amount of 5% of its outstanding Shares. It is also possible that a repurchase offer may be oversubscribed, with the result that shareholders may only be able to have a portion of their Shares repurchased. The Fund does not currently intend to list its Shares for trading on any national securities exchange. The Shares are, therefore, not readily marketable. Even though the Fund will make quarterly repurchase offers to repurchase a portion of the Shares to try to provide liquidity to shareholders, you should consider the Shares to have limited liquidity.
Principal Investment Strategies. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in private fixed-income securities and credit instruments. The Fund will opportunistically allocate its assets across any number of the following credit strategies: (a) liquid credit (including publicly traded debt instruments and Treasury securities); (b) direct lending (including first lien loans, second lien loans, unitranche loans and mezzanine debt); (c) opportunistic credit (including private credit solutions, special situations and market dislocations); and (d) loans and structured credit (syndicated loans and collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”)). To a lesser extent, the Fund also may invest in distressed credit (distressed-for-control debt and equity investments). The Fund may invest in additional strategies in the future. The Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets in credit instruments that are rated below investment grade by rating agencies or would be rated below investment grade if they were rated. Credit instruments that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as “high yield” securities or “junk bonds”) are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Because of the risks associated with investing in high yield securities, an investment in the Fund should be considered speculative. Some of the credit instruments will have no credit rating at all.
Unlisted Closed-End Fund. An investment in the Fund is subject to, among others, the following risks:
· | There is not expected to be any secondary trading market in the Shares. |
· | Unlike most closed-end funds, the Shares are not listed on any securities exchange. The Fund will provide liquidity through quarterly offers to repurchase a limited amount of the Fund’s shares (at least 5%). |
· | Fund shareholders (“Shareholders”) should not expect to be able to sell their Shares in a secondary market transaction regardless of how the Fund performs. An investment in the Fund is considered to be of limited liquidity. |
· | If a Shareholder is able to sell its Shares outside the quarterly repurchase process, the Shareholder likely will receive less than the then-current NAV per Share. |
· | An investor will pay a sales load of up to 3.50%. |
i |
· | There is no assurance that quarterly distributions paid by the Fund will be maintained at the targeted level or that dividends will be paid at all. |
· | The Fund’s distributions may be funded from unlimited amounts of offering proceeds or borrowings, which may constitute a return of capital and reduce the amount of capital available to the Fund for investment. Any capital returned to Shareholders through distributions will be distributed after payment of fees and expenses. |
· A return of capital to Shareholders is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund, thereby reducing the tax basis of their investment. As a result from such reduction in tax basis, Shareholders may be subject to tax in connection with the sale of Fund Shares, even if such Shares are sold at a loss relative to the Shareholder’s original investment.
· The Fund’s distributions may result from expense reimbursements from OC Private Capital, LLC (“OC Private Capital” or the “Adviser”), which are subject to repayment by the Fund. Shareholders should understand that any such distributions are not based on the Fund’s investment performance, and can only be sustained if the Fund achieves positive investment performance in future periods and/or OC Private Capital continues to make such expense reimbursements. Shareholders should also understand that the Fund’s future repayments will reduce the distributions that a Shareholder would otherwise receive.
Investing in Shares involves a high degree of risk. See “Types of Investments and Related Risks” beginning on page 25 of this prospectus.
The date of this prospectus is June 1, 2018.
ii |
Per |
Total(1) | |
Public Offering Price | $ 10.35 | $ 1,000,000,000.00 |
Sales Load(1) | $ .35 | $ 33,816,425.12 |
Proceeds to the Fund (Before Expenses)(2) | $ 10.00 | $ 966,183,574.88 |
(1) | Generally, the stated minimum initial investment by an investor in the Fund is $25,000, which stated minimum may be reduced for certain investors. Investors purchasing Shares may be charged a sales load of up to 3.50% of the Investor’s net purchase. The table assumes the maximum sales load is charged. |
(2) | Assumes all Shares currently registered are sold in the continuous offering. OC Private Capital will also bear certain ongoing offering costs associated with the Fund’s continuous offering of Shares. Pursuant to an expense limitation agreement (the “Expense Limitation Agreement”) between the Fund and the Adviser, the Fund will be obligated to reimburse the Adviser for any such payments. The Fund’s estimated organizational and initial offering expenses (including pre-effective expenses) are $820,000 or $0.0205 per share. See “Fund Expenses.” |
Structure. The Fund does not currently intend to list its Shares for trading on any securities exchange and does not expect any secondary market to develop for its Shares. Shareholders of the Fund are not able to have their Shares redeemed or otherwise sell their Shares on a daily basis because the Fund is an unlisted closed-end fund. To provide some liquidity to Shareholders, the Fund is structured as an “interval fund” and conducts periodic repurchase offers for a portion of its outstanding Shares, as described below. An investment in the Fund is suitable only for long-term investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of the Shares.
Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The investment adviser to the Fund is OC Private Capital, a joint venture between an affiliate of OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (“OFI”) and Carlyle Investment Management L.L.C. (“Carlyle”). OC Private Capital is registered as an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). The investment sub-adviser to the Fund is Carlyle Global Credit Investment Management L.L.C. (“CGCIM” or the “Sub-Adviser” and collectively with the Adviser, the “Advisers”), an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Advisers Act. OC Private Capital oversees the allocation of the Fund’s assets to its underlying credit strategies and the Sub-Adviser sources and makes investment decisions within each strategy.
Securities Offered. The Fund is offering its Shares on a continuous basis. The minimum initial investment is $25,000 for regular and retirement plan accounts; subsequent investments may be made with at least $5,000. The Fund reserves the right to waive investment minimums. Shares are being offered through the distributor at an offering price equal to the Fund’s then-current NAV per Share, plus selling commissions of up to 3.50%.
This prospectus provides the information that a prospective investor should know about the Fund before investing. Investors are advised to read this prospectus carefully and to retain it for future reference. Additional information about the Fund, including a statement of additional information about the Fund, dated June 1, 2018 (the “Statement of Additional Information”), has been filed with the SEC and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this prospectus. The Statement of Additional Information and, when available, the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports and other information filed with the SEC, can be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Fund at OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund, 6803 South Tucson Way, Centennial, Colorado 80112-3924 or by calling toll-free 833-677-3646. The table of contents of the Statement of Additional Information appears on page 89 of this prospectus. Investors may request the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, annual and semi-annual reports when available and other information about the Fund or make Shareholder inquiries by calling 833-677-3646 or by visiting www.ofiglobalcarlyle.com. In addition, the contact information provided above may be used to request additional information about the Fund and to make Shareholder inquiries. The Statement of Additional Information, other material incorporated by reference into this prospectus and other information about the Fund is also available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The address of the SEC’s website is provided solely for the information of prospective investors and is not intended to be an active link.
The Fund and the Advisers have applied for exemptive relief to, among other things, (i) designate multiple classes of Shares; (ii) impose on certain of the classes an early withdrawal charge and schedule waivers of such; and (iii) impose class specific annual asset-based distribution fees on the assets of the various classes of Shares to be used to pay for expenses incurred in fostering the dividend of the Shares of the particular class. If granted, the Fund and/or the Advisers may be required to comply with certain regulations that would not otherwise apply. There is no guarantee that any such exemptive relief will be granted.
iii |
Shares are not deposits or obligations of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and Shares are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other government agency.
Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
iv |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
This is only a summary and does not contain all of the information that a prospective investor should consider before investing in the Fund. Before investing, a prospective investor in the Fund should carefully read the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information.
THE FUND | The Fund is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust that is registered under the 1940 Act as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund is operated as an “interval fund” (as defined below).
| |
THE ADVISER | OC Private Capital serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. OC Private Capital is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC under the Advisers Act and is a joint venture between an affiliate of OFI and Carlyle. OC Private Capital is majority controlled by OFI.
| |
THE SUB-ADVISER |
CGCIM serves as the Fund’s investment sub-adviser. CGCIM is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC under the Advisers Act and is a majority-owned subsidiary of Carlyle.
OC Private Capital and the Sub-Adviser are collectively referred to as the Advisers. OC Private Capital oversees the allocation of the Fund’s assets to its underlying credit strategies and the Sub-Adviser sources and makes investment decisions within each strategy.
| |
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE | The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by opportunistically allocating its assets across a wide range of credit strategies.
| |
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES |
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in private fixed-income securities and credit instruments. The Fund will opportunistically allocate its assets across any number of the following credit strategies: (a) liquid credit (including publicly traded debt instruments and Treasury securities); (b) direct lending (including first lien loans, second lien loans, unitranche loans and mezzanine debt); (c) opportunistic credit (including private credit solutions, special situations and market dislocations); and (d) loans and structured credit (syndicated loans and CLOs). To a lesser extent, the Fund also may invest in distressed credit (distressed-for-control debt and equity investments). The Fund may invest in additional strategies in the future. The Fund normally will invest in a number of different countries. There is no minimum or maximum limit on the amount of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in non-U.S. securities.
Although actual exposure to any strategy may vary over time, under normal circumstances, the Fund expects its allocations to each strategy will be within the following ranges:
| |
Liquid Credit | 10-20% | |
Direct Lending | 25-35% | |
Opportunistic Credit | 35-45% | |
Loans And Structured Credit | 10-15% | |
Distressed Credit | 0-10% | |
1 |
Liquid Credit
Through its liquid credit strategy, the Fund intends to invest in instruments with robust liquidity profiles, including, but not limited to, publicly traded debt instruments (broadly syndicated high yield bonds (junk bonds), convertible securities and notes) and Treasury securities. The Fund expects these investments to enhance its risk/return profile and serve as a source of liquidity for the Fund.
Direct Lending
Through its direct lending strategy, the Fund intends to invest in senior secured term loans to U.S. middle market companies supported by private equity sponsors. In describing this business, generally the term “middle market” refers to companies with approximately $10 million to $100 million of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciations and amortization (“EBITDA”), which the Advisers believe is a useful proxy for cash flow. The Fund will seek to engage in direct origination of secured debt, including first lien senior secured loans, “unitranche” loans and second lien senior secured loans (collectively, “Middle Market Senior Loans”), with the balance of its assets allocated to the direct lending strategy invested in higher yielding investments (which may include unsecured debt, mezzanine debt and investments in equities), although the Fund may make investments in issuers with EBITDA outside of such range.
Opportunistic Credit
Through its opportunistic credit strategy, the Fund intends to take advantage of special situations and market dislocations across both expansionary and recessionary credit cycles, as well as during transient periods of market volatility. Unlike dedicated senior secured loan funds or captive mezzanine funds, with its opportunistic credit strategy, the Fund will seek to provide flexible financing solutions across the capital structure. The Fund will seek to make investments in opportunities that involve complexity and structural inefficiencies, and will retain the ability to invest across the capital structure in both public and private markets, including senior secured credit, structurally- or lien-subordinated credit, and certain opportunities through equity and equity-linked securities.
Loans and Structured Credit
Through its loans and structured credit strategy, the Fund intends to invest in performing senior secured bank loans and the debt and equity tranches of CLOs that are backed by senior secured corporate loans made to companies operating primarily in the U.S. or Europe. The Fund will focus on CLO investments sourced from the secondary market that are priced at a discount to par. The Fund expects that it may purchase tranches from sellers who are impacted by fund redemptions or regulatory pressures. The Fund will actively seek out CLOs backed by pools of collateral that have overlap with the Sub-Adviser’s analyst coverage universe and portfolios and that are managed by third-party investment advisers with a demonstrated track record in CLO management. The Fund may also invest in broadly syndicated loans.
Distressed Credit
Through its distressed credit strategy, the Fund generally will seek to invest in liquid and illiquid securities and obligations, including secured debt, senior and subordinated unsecured debt, convertible debt obligations, preferred stock and public and private equity of financially distressed companies in defensive and asset-rich industries. In certain investments, the Fund may seek to restructure pre-reorganization debt claims into controlling positions in the equity of the reorganized companies.
Access to Carlyle’s Transaction Flow and Expertise. In conducting its investment activities, the Fund believes that it will benefit from the significant scale and resources of Carlyle and its affiliates. The Fund is served by an origination, capital markets, underwriting and portfolio management team comprised of experienced investment professionals. The Fund’s investment team utilizes a rigorous, systematic, and consistent investment process, refined over Carlyle’s history investing in private markets across multiple cycles, designed to achieve enhanced risk-adjusted returns.
The Fund’s investment team will seek to identify key sector themes through primary research and their extensive industry expertise in order to guide idea generation. The investment team will leverage Carlyle’s industry-dedicated research analysts to assess the relative attractiveness of investment opportunities across industries. Once a theme has been identified and confirmed through qualitative and data analysis of internal and third-party industry resources, the investment team will develop proprietary screening tools that seek to identify potential credit instruments. These opportunities may include private corporates in out-of-favor sectors with an inability to access traditional capital markets and liquid credit instruments with compelling valuations relative to their underlying cash flow characteristics and/or collateral value.
The Fund will seek to source opportunities through Carlyle’s extensive global relationships and proprietary network and through the deep infrastructure Carlyle has developed in each of the Fund’s credit strategies, including:
· Carlyle Global Credit’s direct-origination team which covers 200+ private equity firms and 150+ lending institutions in North America.
· A broad network of dealer, investor, and manager relationships that Carlyle has developed during its 19 years operating in the CLO market.
· Carlyle’s ongoing active dialogue with corporate private equity professionals for access to highly structured preferred or convertible securities that have an expected shorter duration than traditional private equity.
· Carlyle’s extensive history of sourcing non-traditional, negotiated deal flow in the energy sector, including a large number of commodity-based structured project financings executed in both the bank and capital markets.
· Proprietary credit deal flow from internal referrals from more than 650 Carlyle investment professionals in 31 offices around the globe, five U.S. buyout sector teams, corporate partners, over 275 portfolio companies, 44 Operating Executives and more than 1,850 limited partners from 85 countries.
The Fund may also benefit from opportunities sourced by Carlyle investment vehicles that fall outside the scope of their respective investment mandates.
|
2 |
PORTFOLIO COMPOSITION |
The Fund’s portfolio will consist of some combination of the following types of investments:
Direct Lending. The Fund may invest in first lien senior secured loans (including “unitranche” loans, which are loans that combine both senior and junior debt, generally in a first lien position), second lien senior secured loans and mezzanine debt, which in some cases includes an equity component, of U.S. middle-market companies, where the Advisers believe the supply of primary capital is limited and the investment opportunities are most attractive. These investments are typically made to companies with annual EBITDA between $10 million and $100 million.
Opportunistic Credit. The Fund’s opportunistic credit investments may include (i) highly-structured and privately-negotiated capital solutions supporting corporate borrowers as an alternative to traditional capital markets (including through secured loans, senior subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, convertible notes, preferred equity, warrants and other debt-like instruments, as well as equity in such corporate borrowers), (ii) event-driven opportunities that exhibit hybrid credit and equity features (e.g., stressed or distressed lending, asset-level investing or bank regulatory capital replacement) and (iii) primary and secondary market investments in liquid debt instruments that arise as a result of temporary market volatility (e.g., hung bank syndications and stressed liquid credit). A hung bank syndication occurs when a bank provides funding for a transaction, expecting it to be refinanced at a later date, and market forces cause the bank to sell the bonds at a discount in order to attract investor interest contrary to prior expectations.
Collateralized Loan Obligations. CLOs are backed by a portfolio of senior secured loans. The Fund’s CLO investments may include senior/mezzanine CLO debt tranches (rated investment grade), mezzanine CLO debt tranches (rated below investment grade or unrated), subordinated CLO equity tranches (unrated), leveraged loans (including warehouse facilities that hold such loans) and vehicles that invest indirectly in CLO securities or leveraged loans.
Broadly Syndicated Corporate Loans. Senior, secured broadly syndicated corporate loans (“Syndicated Loans”) generally benefit from liens on collateral, are rated below-investment grade and typically pay interest at rates that are determined periodically on the basis of a floating base lending rate, primarily the London-Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), plus a spread. Syndicated Loans are typically made to U.S. and, to a lesser extent, non-U.S. corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and other business entities which operate in various industries and geographical regions. Borrowers may obtain Syndicated Loans, among other reasons, to refinance existing debt, engage in acquisitions, pay dividends, recapitalize, complete leveraged buyouts and for general corporate purposes. Syndicated Loans rated below investment grade are sometimes referred to as “leveraged loans” or “junk bonds.” The Fund may invest in Syndicated Loans through assignments of or, to a lesser extent, participations in Syndicated Loans. To a limited extent, the Fund may utilize various types of derivative instruments, including total return swaps for the purpose of gaining exposure to Syndicated Loans.
Distressed Credit. The Fund may invest in debt and equity securities of operationally sound, financially distressed companies that may be in some level of financial or business distress, including companies involved in, or that have recently completed, bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. These investments may include the following: (i) corporate debt instruments relating to stressed and distressed industries or issuers; (ii) rescue-capital opportunities; (iii) public and private stock issued in connection with restructurings and reorganizations or otherwise; and (iv) other opportunistic investments resulting from periods of market dislocation.
Other Investment Strategies. The Fund may also invest in notes, bills, debentures, bank loans, convertible and preferred securities, government and municipal obligations and other credit instruments with similar economic characteristics. In addition, from time to time, the Fund may invest in or hold common stock and other equity securities incidental to the purchase or ownership of a credit investment or in connection with a reorganization of a borrower. The Fund may engage in short sales. To a limited extent, the Fund may also use derivatives to gain investment exposure to credit instruments, provide downside protection and to dampen volatility. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will be counted toward the Fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its assets in private fixed-income securities and credit instruments. As a result, the market value of a derivative instrument that provides the Fund with indirect exposure to private fixed-income securities and credit instruments will be counted toward the Fund’s 80% policy. Derivatives may allow the Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk to which the Fund is exposed more quickly and efficiently than transactions in other types of instruments. The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, to the extent that these investments are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, strategies and policies and permissible under the 1940 Act or any applicable exemption therefrom. The Fund may invest in other investment companies to gain broad market or sector exposure, including during periods when it has large amounts of uninvested cash or when the Advisers believe share prices of other investment companies offer attractive values.
Other Characteristics
Foreign Instruments. The Fund may make investments in non-U.S. entities, including issuers in emerging markets. Emerging market countries are countries that major international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, generally consider to be less economically mature than developed nations, such as the United States or most nations in Western Europe. Emerging market countries can include every nation in the world except the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most countries located in Western Europe. The Fund expects that its investment in non-U.S. issuers will be made primarily in U.S. dollar denominated securities, but it reserves the right to purchase securities that are foreign currency denominated. Some non-U.S. securities may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Factors considered in determining whether an issuer may be deemed to be from a particular foreign country or geographic region include, among others, the issuer’s principal trading market, the country in which the issuer was legally organized, whether the issuer derives a substantial portion of its operations or assets from a particular country or region or derives a substantial portion of its revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales outside of the United States.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities. The Fund invests in instruments that, at the time of investment, are illiquid (generally, those securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the securities). The Fund may also invest, without limit, in securities that are unregistered (but are eligible for purchase and sale by certain qualified institutional buyers) or are held by control persons of the issuer and securities that are subject to contractual restrictions on their resale.
Cash and Short-Term Investments. The Fund may invest its cash balances in money market instruments, U.S. government securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements and other high-quality debt instruments maturing in one year or less, among other instruments. In addition, and in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions, the Fund may invest in high-quality fixed income securities, money market instruments and money market funds or may hold significant positions in cash or cash equivalents for defensive purposes.
|
BOARD OF TRUSTEES | The Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including a majority of the members of the Board (each, a “Trustee”) that are considered independent and are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Advisers (collectively, the “Independent Trustees”), oversees and monitors the Fund’s management and operations. See “Management of the Fund.” |
MANAGEMENT AND INCENTIVE FEES | Pursuant to the investment advisory agreement, dated as of May 24, 2018 (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), by and between the Fund and the Adviser, and in consideration of the advisory services provided by the Adviser to the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to a fee consisting of two components—a base management fee (the “Management Fee”) and an incentive fee (the “Incentive Fee”). Pursuant to the sub-advisory agreement, dated as of May 24, 2018 (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”), by and between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, the Adviser pays the Sub-Adviser 40% of the Management Fee received by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement. |
The Management Fee is calculated and payable monthly in arrears at the annual rate of 1.50% of the month-end value of the Fund’s Net Assets. “Net Assets” means the total assets of the Fund minus the Fund’s liabilities. |
3 |
The Incentive Fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears
based upon the Fund’s “pre-incentive fee net investment income” for the immediately preceding quarter, and is
subject to a hurdle rate, expressed as a rate of return on the Fund’s Net Assets equal to 1.50% per quarter (or an annualized
hurdle rate of 6.00%), subject to a “catch-up” feature. For this purpose, “pre-incentive fee net investment income”
means interest income, dividend income and any other income accrued during the calendar quarter, minus the Fund’s operating
expenses for the quarter. For purposes of computing the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income, the calculation methodology
will look through total return swaps as if the Fund owned the referenced assets directly. As a result, the Fund’s pre-incentive
fee net investment income includes net interest, if any, associated with a derivative or swap (“Net Interest”), which
is the difference between (a) the interest income and transaction fees related to the reference assets and (b) all interest and
other expenses paid by the Fund to the derivative or swap counterparty. For such purposes, the Fund’s operating expenses
will include the Management Fee, Fund administration expenses, and any interest expense and distributions paid on any issued and
outstanding preferred Shares, but will exclude the Incentive Fee. For purposes of the Incentive Fee, Net Assets are calculated
as of the first business day of the relevant calendar quarter. The “catch-up” provision is intended to provide the
Adviser with an incentive fee of 20% on all of the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income when the Fund’s pre-incentive
fee net investment income reaches 1.875% of Net Assets in any calendar quarter. Thus, each calendar quarter the Fund will compare its pre-incentive
fee net investment income, expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s Net Assets in respect of the relevant calendar quarter,
to a hurdle rate of 1.50%. If the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income is less than the hurdle rate, then the Adviser
will not be paid the Incentive Fee in respect of that quarter. If the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income is between
1.50% and 1.875% (the “Catch-up Range”), then the Adviser will be paid the Incentive Fee in respect of that quarter
in an amount equal to 100% of the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income within the Catch-up Range (the “Catch-up
Amount”). If the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income exceeds 1.875%, then the Adviser will be paid the Incentive
Fee in respect of that quarter in an amount equal to the Catch-up Amount plus 20% of net investment income above 1.875%. |
4 |
The Advisers are obligated to pay expenses associated with providing
the investment services stated in the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, including compensation of and office
space for their officers and employees connected with investment and economic research, trading and investment management of the
Fund. The Board will periodically review the Investment Advisory Agreement
and Sub-Advisory Agreement to determine, among other things, whether the fees payable under such agreements are reasonable in light
of the services provided. The Adviser and the Fund have entered into the Expense Limitation Agreement under which the Adviser has agreed contractually for a one-year period to waive its Management Fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s initial organizational and offering costs, as well as the Fund’s operating expenses on a monthly basis to the extent that the Fund’s total annualized fund operating expenses (excluding (i) expenses directly related to the costs of making investments, including interest and structuring costs for borrowing and line(s) of credit, taxes, brokerage costs, the Fund’s proportionate share of expenses related to co-investments, litigation and extraordinary expenses, (ii) Incentive Fees and (iii) any distribution and shareholder servicing fees) in respect of the relevant month exceed 2.00% of the Fund’s month-end NAV (the “Expense Cap”).
In consideration of the Adviser’s agreement to waive its Management Fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s operating expenses, the Fund has agreed to repay the Adviser in the amount of any waived Management Fees and Fund expenses reimbursed subject to the limitation that a reimbursement (an “Adviser Recoupment”) will be made only if and to the extent that: (i) it is payable not more than three years from the date on which the applicable waiver or expense payment was made by the Adviser; and (ii) the Adviser Recoupment does not cause the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (on an annualized basis and net of any reimbursements received by the Fund during such fiscal year) during the applicable quarter to exceed the Expense Cap. The Adviser Recoupment will not cause Fund expenses to exceed the Expense Cap either (i) at the time of the waiver or (ii) at the time of recoupment. See “Fund Expenses—Expense Limitation Agreement” for additional information. The Expense Limitation Agreement will remain in effect for a period of one year from the date of the Agreement, unless and until the Board approves its modification or termination. The Expense Limitation Agreement may be terminated only by the Fund’s Board on notice to the Adviser during the initial one-year term; thereafter, it is terminable by either the Adviser or the Fund’s Board in accordance with its terms. See “Fund Expenses.”
| |
ADMINISTRATION EXPENSES | Pursuant to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), State Street furnishes the Fund with clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services. State Street also performs, or oversees the performance of, certain of the Fund’s required administrative services, which include, among other things, providing assistance in accounting, legal, compliance, operations, being responsible for the financial records that the Fund is required to maintain and preparing reports to the Fund’s shareholders and reports filed with the SEC. In addition, State Street generally oversees the payment of the Fund’s expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Fund by others. The Administration Agreement may be terminated by either party without penalty upon 90 days’ written notice to the other party prior to the initial term or renewal date. |
5 |
DISTRIBUTIONS |
The Fund’s distribution policy is to make quarterly distributions to Shareholders. The Fund expects its first quarterly distribution to occur in December 2018. The Fund’s distributions may be funded from unlimited amounts of offering proceeds or borrowings, which may constitute a return of capital and reduce the amount of capital available to the Fund for investment. A return of capital to Shareholders is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund, thereby reducing the tax basis of their investment. As a result from such reduction in tax basis, Shareholders may be subject to tax in connection with the sale of Fund Shares, even if such Shares are sold at a loss relative to the Shareholder’s original investment. See “Distributions.”
The Board reserves the right to change the distribution policy from time to time. |
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN |
The Fund will operate under a dividend reinvestment plan (“DRP”)
administered by DST Systems, Inc. (“DST”). Pursuant to the DRP, the Fund’s income dividends or capital gains
or other distributions (each, a “Distribution” and collectively, “Distributions”), net of any applicable
U.S. withholding tax, are reinvested in the same class of shares of the Fund. Shareholders automatically participate in the DRP, unless and until
an election is made to withdraw from the plan on behalf of such participating Shareholder. A Shareholder who does not wish to have
Distributions automatically reinvested may terminate participation in the Plan at any time by written instructions to that effect
to DST. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the DRP will receive all distributions in cash paid to the Shareholder of
record (or, if the shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee). Such written instructions must be received
by DST at least two business days prior to the record date of the Distribution or the Shareholder will receive such Distribution
in shares through the DRP. Under the DRP, the Fund’s Distributions to Shareholders are reinvested in full and fractional
shares. See “Distributions—Dividend Reinvestment Plan.” |
PURCHASES OF SHARES
|
The Fund’s Shares are offered on a monthly basis. Shares are
being offered through the distributor at an offering price equal to the Fund’s then-current NAV per Share, plus selling commissions
of up to 3.50%. Please see “Plan of Distribution” on page 82 for purchase instructions and additional information. The minimum initial investment is $25,000 for regular and retirement
plan accounts; subsequent investments may be made with at least $5,000, except for purchases made pursuant to the Fund’s
DRP or as otherwise permitted by the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to waive investment minimums. See “Distributions—Dividend
Reinvestment Plan.” |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (the “Distributor”), located at 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10281-1008, serves as the Fund’s principal underwriter and acts as the Distributor of the Fund’s Shares on a best efforts basis, subject to various conditions. The Fund’s Shares are offered for sale through the Distributor at NAV plus the applicable sales load. The Distributor also may enter into broker-dealer selling agreements with other broker dealers for the sale and distribution of the Fund’s Shares. |
6 |
The Distributor is not required to sell any specific number or dollar
amount of the Fund’s Shares, but will use its best efforts to solicit orders for the sale of the Shares. Shares of the Fund
will not be listed on any national securities exchange and the Distributor will not act as a market maker in Fund Shares. The Advisers or their affiliates, in the Advisers’ discretion
and from their own resources, may pay additional compensation to financial intermediaries and their agents that have made arrangements
with the Fund and are authorized to buy and sell shares of the Fund (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”) in connection
with the sale of Fund Shares (the “Additional Compensation”). In return for the Additional Compensation, the Fund may
receive certain marketing advantages including access to a broker’s or dealer’s registered representatives, placement
on a list of investment options offered by a broker or dealer, or the ability to assist in training and educating the broker’s
or dealer’s registered representatives. The Additional Compensation may differ among brokers or dealers in amount or in the
amount of calculation. Payments of Additional Compensation may be fixed dollar amounts or, based on the aggregate value of outstanding
Shares held by Shareholders introduced by the broker or dealer, or determined in some other manner. The receipt of Additional Compensation
by a selling broker or dealer may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and its broker or dealer who is recommending
the Fund over other potential investments. | |
ERISA PLANS AND OTHER TAX-EXEMPT ENTITIES |
Investors subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and other tax-exempt entities, including employee benefit plans, individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), 401(k) plans and Keogh plans, may purchase Shares. Because the Fund is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, the underlying assets of the Fund will not be considered to be “plan assets” of the ERISA plans investing in the Fund for purposes of ERISA’s fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction rules. Thus, none of the Fund or the Advisers will be a fiduciary within the meaning of ERISA with respect to the assets of any ERISA plan that becomes a Shareholder, solely as a result of the ERISA plan’s investment in the Fund. See “ERISA Considerations.” |
UNLISTED CLOSED-END INTERVAL FUND STRUCTURE | The Fund has been organized as a continuously offered, non-diversified closed-end management investment company that is operated as an interval fund. Closed-end funds differ from open-end funds (commonly known as mutual funds) in that investors in closed-end funds do not have the right to redeem their shares on a daily basis. Unlike most closed-end funds, which typically list their shares on a securities exchange, the Fund does not currently intend to list the Shares for trading on any securities exchange, and the Fund does not expect any secondary market to develop for the Shares in the foreseeable future. Therefore, an investment in the Fund, unlike an investment in a typical closed-end fund, is not a liquid investment. To provide some liquidity to Shareholders, the Fund is structured as an “interval fund” and conducts quarterly repurchase offers for a limited amount of the Fund’s Shares (at least 5%). |
The Fund believes that a closed-end structure is most appropriate for the long-term nature of the Fund’s strategy. The Fund’s NAV per Share may be volatile. As the Shares are not traded, investors will not be able to dispose of their investment in the Fund, except through repurchases conducted through the share repurchase program, no matter how the Fund performs. |
7 |
VALUATIONS |
The Board is responsible for the valuation of the Fund’s portfolio
investments for which market quotations are not readily available, as determined in good faith pursuant to the Fund’s valuation
policy and consistently applied valuation process. The Board has delegated day-to-day responsibility for implementing the portfolio
valuation process set forth in the Fund’s valuation policy to the Adviser, and has authorized the Adviser to utilize the
independent third-party pricing services and independent third-party valuation services that have been approved by the Board. Portfolio
securities and other assets for which market quotes are readily available are valued at market value. In circumstances where market
quotes are not readily available, the Board has adopted methods for determining the fair value of such securities and other assets.
The Fund determines NAV per Share in accordance with the methodology described in the Fund’s valuation policy. Valuations
of Fund investments are disclosed in reports publicly filed with the SEC. As an interval fund, the Fund is required to calculate a weekly NAV. However, because the Fund’s Shares are offered on a monthly basis only, the Fund intends to publicly report on its website its month-end NAV per Share. For information on the Fund’s weekly NAV, please call the Fund toll-free at 833-677-3646. The Adviser will provide the Board with periodic reports, no less than quarterly, that discuss, among other things, the fair valuation of the Fund’s assets, as applicable. The Sub-Adviser shall provide assistance to the Adviser and the Board with respect to the valuation of the Fund’s assets; the Adviser and the Board are responsible for the accuracy, reliability or completeness of any market or fair market valuation determinations made with respect to the Fund’s assets. See “Determination of Net Asset Value.”
|
8 |
SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM |
The Shares have no history of public trading, nor is it intended
that the Shares will be listed on a public exchange at this time. No secondary market is expected to develop for the Fund’s
Shares. The Fund is an “interval fund,” a type of fund which,
to provide some liquidity to Shareholders, makes quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at
NAV, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory
requirements (as discussed below). In connection with any given repurchase offer, it is likely that the Fund may offer to repurchase
only the minimum amount of 5% of its outstanding Shares. Quarterly repurchases will occur in the months of March, June, September
and December. The offer to purchase Shares is a fundamental policy that may not be changed without the vote of the holders of a
majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act). Written notification of each quarterly
repurchase offer (the “Repurchase Offer Notice”) is sent to Shareholders at least 21 calendar days before the
repurchase request deadline (i.e., the date by which Shareholders can tender their Shares in response to a repurchase offer) (the
“Repurchase Request Deadline”); however, the Fund will seek to provide such written notification earlier but no more
than 42 calendar days before the Repurchase Request Deadline. The NAV will be calculated no later than the 14th calendar day (or
the next business day if the 14th calendar day is not a business day) after the Repurchase Request Deadline (the “Repurchase
Pricing Date”). The Fund will distribute payment to Shareholders within seven calendar days after the Repurchase Pricing
Date. The Fund’s Shares are not listed on any securities exchange, and the Fund anticipates that no secondary market will
develop for its Shares. Accordingly, you may not be able to sell Shares when and/or in the amount that you desire. Thus, the Shares
are appropriate only as a long-term investment. If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed and the Fund determines not to repurchase
additional Shares beyond the repurchase offer amount, or if Shareholders tender an amount of Shares greater than that which the
Fund is entitled to purchase, the Fund will repurchase the Shares tendered on a pro rata basis, and Shareholders will have to wait
until the next repurchase offer to make another repurchase request. In addition, the Fund’s repurchase offers may subject
the Fund and Shareholders to special risks. See “Types of Investments and Related Risks—Repurchase Offers Risks.” |
SUMMARY OF TAXATION | The Fund intends to elect to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and intends to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any net ordinary income or capital gains that is currently distributed as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to Shareholders, as applicable. To qualify for and maintain its treatment as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund is required to meet certain specified source-of-income and asset diversification requirements, and is required to distribute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes of an amount at least equal to 90% of the sum of its net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses each tax year to Shareholders, as applicable. See “Distributions” and “Tax Aspects.” |
FISCAL YEAR | For accounting purposes, the Fund’s fiscal year is the 12-month period ending on December 31. |
REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS | As soon as practicable after the end of each calendar year, a statement on Form 1099-DIV identifying the sources of the distributions paid by the Fund to Shareholders for tax purposes will be furnished to Shareholders subject to Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) reporting. In addition, the Fund will prepare and transmit to Shareholders an unaudited semi-annual and an audited annual report within 60 days after the close of the period for which the report is being made, or as otherwise required by the 1940 Act. |
RISK FACTORS | Investing in the Fund involves risks, including the risk that a Shareholder may receive little or no return on their investment or that a Shareholder may lose part or all of their investment. Below is a summary of some of the principal risks of investing in the Fund. For a more complete discussion of the risks of investing in the Fund, see “Types of Investments and Related Risks.” Shareholders should consider carefully the following principal risks before investing in the Fund: |
9 |
·
Unlike most closed-end funds, the Fund’s Shares will not be listed on any securities
exchange; ·
Although the Fund intends to implement a quarterly share repurchase program, there is no guarantee
that an investor will be able to sell all of the Shares that the investor desires to sell. The Fund should therefore be considered
to offer limited liquidity; ·
The capital markets may experience periods of disruption and instability. Such market conditions
may materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets, which may have a negative impact on the Fund’s business
and operations; ·
The Fund is exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates; |
10 |
·
The Fund’s distributions may be funded from offering proceeds or borrowings, which may
constitute a return of capital and reduce the amount of capital available to the Fund for investment. Any capital returned to Shareholders
through distributions will be distributed after payment of fees and expenses, as well as the sales load; ·
Because bank loans are not typically registered under the federal securities laws like stocks
and bonds, investors in loans have less protection against improper practices than investors in registered securities; ·
The Fund’s investments in securities and other obligations of companies that are experiencing
distress involve a substantial degree of risk, require a high level of analytical sophistication for successful investment and
require active monitoring; ·
Below investment grade instruments (also known as “junk bonds”) have predominantly
speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns, which could cause losses; ·
Certain investments may be exposed to the credit risk of the counterparties with whom the
Fund deals; ·
The valuation of securities or instruments that lack a central trading place (such as fixed-income
securities or instruments) may carry greater risk than those that trade on an exchange; · Derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets of the Fund;
·
The Fund may be materially adversely affected by market, economic and political conditions
globally and in the jurisdictions and sectors in which the Fund invests; ·
Non-U.S. securities may be traded in undeveloped, inefficient and less liquid markets and
may experience greater price volatility and changes in value – changes in foreign currency exchange rates may adversely affect
the U.S. dollar value of and returns on foreign denominated investments; ·
CLOs may present risks similar to those of other types of debt obligations and, in fact, such
risks may be of greater significance in the case of CLOs depending upon the Fund’s ranking in the capital structure. In certain
cases, losses may equal the total amount of the Fund’s principal investment. Investments in structured vehicles, including
equity and junior debt securities issued by CLOs, involve risks, including credit risk and market risk; ·
The Fund’s investments in energy companies expose the Fund to risks associated with
adverse economic, environmental or regulatory occurrences affecting the energy sector, and a downturn in the energy sector could
have a larger impact on the Fund than on funds that are broadly diversified across many sectors and industries; ·
The Fund is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end investment company with no operating
history; ·
The Fund may borrow money, which magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested,
subjects the Fund to certain covenants with which it must comply and may increase the risk of investing with the Fund; | |
· To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs and their shareholders under the Code, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements, and failure to do so could result in the loss of RIC status. | |
Accordingly, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment that entails substantial risks, and a prospective investor should invest in the Fund only if they can sustain a complete loss of their investment.
|
11 |
The following table illustrates the aggregate fees and expenses that the Fund expects to incur and that Shareholders can expect to bear directly or indirectly.
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES | ||||
Maximum sales load imposed on purchases(1) | 3.50% | |||
Early Withdrawal Charge on Shares Repurchased Within 365 Days of Purchase (as a percentage of proceeds) | None | |||
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge | None | |||
ANNUAL FUND EXPENSES(2) (as a percentage of average net assets attributable to Shares) |
||||
Management fee | 1.50% | |||
Incentive fee(3) | 0.00% | |||
Interest payments on borrowed funds and securities sold short(4) | 1.94% | |||
Other expenses(5) | ||||
Distribution and shareholder servicing fee(6) | 0.85% | |||
All non-distribution and shareholder servicing other expenses | 1.30% | |||
|
|
|||
Total annual fund expenses | 5.59% | |||
Expense reimbursement(7) | 0.80% | |||
Total annual fund expenses after expense reimbursement(7) | 4.79% |
(1) | Investors purchasing Shares may be charged a sales load of up to 3.50% of the Investor’s net purchase. The table assumes the maximum sales load is charged. The Distributor may, in its discretion, waive all or a portion of the sales load for certain investors. See “Plan of Distribution.” |
(2) | Assumes the Fund raises $400 million in proceeds in the first 12 months resulting in estimated average Net Assets of approximately $212 million. |
(3) | The Fund anticipates that it may have interest income that could result in the payment of an Incentive Fee to the Adviser during certain periods. However, the Incentive Fee is based on the Fund’s performance and will not be paid unless the Fund achieves certain performance targets. The Fund expects the Incentive Fee the Fund pays to increase to the extent the Fund earns greater interest income through its investments in portfolio companies. The Incentive Fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based upon the Fund’s “pre-incentive fee net investment income” for the immediately preceding quarter, and is subject to a hurdle rate, expressed as a rate of return on the Fund’s Net Assets, equal to 1.50% per quarter, or an annualized hurdle rate of 6.00%, subject to a “catch-up” feature. For purposes of computing the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income, the calculation methodology will look through total return swaps as if the Fund owned the referenced assets directly. See “Management and Incentive Fees” for a full explanation of how the Incentive Fee is calculated. |
(4) | These expenses represent estimated interest payments the Fund expects to incur in connection with its expected credit facility and short sales during the current fiscal year. See “Types of Investments and Related Risks—Risks Relating to Investment Strategies, Fund Investments and the Fund’s Investment Program—Use of Leverage: Risk of Borrowing by the Fund.” The amount shown in the table above is based on the assumption that the Fund borrows the maximum amount of money for investment purposes in an amount approximately equal to 33.33% of the Fund’s assets (defined as net assets plus borrowing for investment purposes). Additionally, the interest rate used is based on a preliminary agreement and the then-current LIBOR rate and is subject to change. |
(5) | Other expenses include accounting, custody, transfer agency, legal, valuation agent, pricing vendor and auditing fees of the Fund, organizational and offering costs, as well as the reimbursement of the compensation of administrative personnel and fees payable to the Independent Trustees. The amount presented in the table estimates the amounts the Fund expects to pay during the first 12 months, assuming the Fund raises $400 million of proceeds during that time. |
12 |
(6) The Fund may charge a distribution and shareholder servicing fee of up to 0.85% per year. The Fund may use this fee to compensate Financial Intermediaries or financial institutions for distribution-related expenses and providing ongoing services in respect of clients with whom they have distributed Shares of the Fund. Such services may also include electronic processing of client orders, electronic fund transfers between clients and the Fund, account reconciliations with the Fund’s sub-transfer agent, facilitation of electronic delivery to clients of Fund documentation, monitoring client accounts for back-up withholding and any other special tax reporting obligations, maintenance of books and records with respect to the foregoing, and such other information and liaison services as the Fund or OC Private Capital may reasonably request.
(7) | The Adviser and the Fund have entered into the Expense Limitation Agreement under which the Adviser has agreed contractually for a one-year period to waive its Management Fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s initial organizational and offering costs, as well as the Fund’s operating expenses on a monthly basis to the extent that the Fund’s total annualized fund operating expenses (excluding (i) expenses directly related to the costs of making investments, including interest and structuring costs for borrowing and line(s) of credit, taxes, brokerage costs, the Fund’s proportionate share of expenses related to co-investments, litigation and extraordinary expenses, (ii) Incentive Fees and (iii) any distribution and shareholder servicing fees) in respect of the relevant month exceed 2.00% of the Fund’s month-end NAV. |
In consideration of the Adviser’s agreement to waive its Management Fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s operating expenses, the Fund has agreed to repay the Adviser in the amount of any waived Management Fees and Fund expenses reimbursed subject to the limitation that a reimbursement will be made only if and to the extent that: (i) it is payable not more than three years from the date on which the applicable waiver or expense payment was made by the Adviser; and (ii) the Adviser Recoupment does not cause the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (on an annualized basis and net of any reimbursements received by the Fund during such fiscal year) during the applicable quarter to exceed the Expense Cap. The Adviser Recoupment will not cause Fund expenses to exceed the Expense Cap either (i) at the time of the waiver or (ii) at the time of recoupment. The Expense Limitation Agreement will remain in effect for a period of one year from the date of the Agreement, unless and until the Board approves its modification or termination. The Expense Limitation Agreement may be terminated only by the Fund’s Board on notice to the Adviser during the initial one-year term; thereafter, it is terminable by either the Adviser or the Fund’s Board in accordance with its terms.
Example:
The following example demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in Shares. In calculating the following expense amounts, the Fund has assumed its direct and indirect annual operating expenses would remain at the percentage levels set forth in the table above (except that the example incorporates the expense reimbursement arrangement for only the first year).
An investor would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5.0% annual return:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||||||||
If the investor did not sell Shares | $82 | $193 | $301 | $566 |
The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of the Fund’s future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. While the example assumes a 5.0% annual return, as required by the SEC, the Fund’s performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5.0%. For a more complete description of the various fees and expenses borne directly and indirectly by the Fund, see “Fund Expenses” and “Management and Incentive Fees.”
13 |
The Fund is a newly organized non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund is structured as an “interval fund” and continuously offers its Shares. The Fund was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on December 13, 2017 and has no operating history. The principal office of the Fund is located at 6803 South Tucson Way, Centennial, Colorado 80112-3924 and its telephone number is 833-677-3646.
The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by opportunistically allocating its assets across a wide range of credit strategies.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in private fixed-income securities and credit instruments. The Fund will opportunistically allocate its assets across any number of the following credit strategies: (a) liquid credit (including publicly traded debt instruments and Treasury securities); (b) direct lending (including first lien loans, second lien loans, unitranche loans and mezzanine debt); (c) opportunistic credit (including private credit solutions, special situations and market dislocations); and (d) loans and structured credit (syndicated loans and CLOs). To a lesser extent, the Fund also may invest in distressed credit (distressed-for-control debt and equity investments). The Fund may invest in additional strategies in the future. In addition, the Fund invests primarily in those countries where creditors’ rights are protected by law, such as countries in North America and Western Europe, although in select situations the Fund may invest in securities of issuers domiciled elsewhere. The geographic areas of focus are subject to change from time to time and may be changed without notice to Shareholders. The Fund normally will invest in a number of different countries. There is no minimum or maximum limit on the amount of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in non-U.S. securities.
For a further discussion of the Fund’s principal investment strategies, see “Investment Objective, Opportunities and Strategies.” There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
The Fund’s investment adviser is OC Private Capital. CGCIM is the Fund’s investment sub-adviser. OC Private Capital oversees the allocation of the Fund’s assets to its underlying credit strategies and the Sub-Adviser sources and makes investment decisions within each strategy. See “The Adviser and Sub-Adviser.” Responsibility for monitoring and overseeing the Fund’s investment program, management and operation is vested in the individuals who serve on the Board.
14 |
OC Private Capital, an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Advisers Act, serves as the Adviser. OC Private Capital is a joint venture between an affiliate of OFI and Carlyle. OC Private Capital is majority controlled by OFI. CGCIM serves as the Fund’s investment sub-adviser. CGCIM is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC under the Advisers Act and is a majority-owned subsidiary of Carlyle.
OFI
OFI, a leader in global asset management, manages nearly $250 billion in assets for over 13 million shareholder accounts, including sub-accounts, as of March 31, 2018.
Founded in 1959, OFI is an asset manager with a history of providing innovative strategies to its investors. The firm’s 16 investment management teams specialize in equity, fixed income, alternative, multi-asset, and factor and revenue-weighted-ETF strategies, including ESG. OFI and its subsidiaries offer a broad array of products and services to clients, who range from endowments and sovereigns to financial advisors and individual investors.
Carlyle
Carlyle is one of the largest global alternative asset management firms in the world with more than $201 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2018 across 324 active investment vehicles. The firm also has a large and diversified investor base with more than 1,850 active carry fund investors located in 85 countries.
Carlyle combines global vision with local insight, relying on a team of over 650 investment professionals operating out of 31 offices in 19 countries to uncover superior opportunities in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North America.
15 |
The proceeds from the sale of Shares, not including the amount of any sales loads paid by investors net of the Fund’s fees and expenses, are invested by the Fund to pursue its investment program and strategies.
The Fund expects to invest the proceeds obtained by it promptly after receipt of such proceeds to pursue its investment program, investing the proceeds first in more liquid credits, then into other credit strategies as the opportunities become available to the Fund.
16 |
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIES
Investment Objective
The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by opportunistically allocating its assets across a wide range of credit strategies.
Investment Opportunities and Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in private fixed-income securities and credit instruments. The Fund will opportunistically allocate its assets across any number of the following credit strategies: (a) liquid credit (including publicly traded debt instruments and Treasury securities); (b) direct lending (including first lien loans, second lien loans, unitranche loans and mezzanine debt); (c) opportunistic credit (including private credit solutions, special situations and market dislocations); and (d) loans and structured credit (syndicated loans and CLOs). To a lesser extent, the Fund also may invest in distressed credit (distressed-for-control debt and equity investments). The Fund may invest in additional strategies in the future. The Fund normally will invest in a number of different countries. There is no minimum or maximum limit on the amount of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in non-U.S. securities.
Although actual exposure to any strategy may vary over time, under normal circumstances, the Fund expects its allocations to each strategy will be within the following ranges:
Liquid Credit | 10-20% |
Direct Lending | 25-35% |
Opportunistic Credit | 35-45% |
Loans And Structured Credit | 10-15% |
Distressed Credit | 0-10% |
Liquid Credit
Through its liquid credit strategy, the Fund intends to invest in instruments with robust liquidity profiles, including, but not limited to, publicly traded debt instruments (broadly syndicated high yield bonds (junk bonds), convertible securities and notes) and Treasury securities. The Fund expects these investments to enhance its risk/return profile and serve as a source of liquidity for the Fund.
Direct Lending
Through its direct lending strategy, the Fund intends to invest in senior secured term loans to U.S. middle market companies supported by private equity sponsors. In describing this business, generally the term “middle market” refers to companies with approximately $10 million to $100 million of EBITDA, which the Advisers believe is a useful proxy for cash flow. The Fund will seek to engage in direct origination of secured debt, including first lien senior secured loans, “unitranche” loans and second lien senior secured loans (collectively, “Middle Market Senior Loans”), with the balance of its assets allocated to the direct lending strategy invested in higher yielding investments (which may include unsecured debt, mezzanine debt and investments in equities), although the Fund may make investments in issuers with EBITDA outside of such range.
Opportunistic Credit
Through its opportunistic credit strategy, the Fund intends to take advantage of special situations and market dislocations across both expansionary and recessionary credit cycles, as well as during transient periods of market volatility. Unlike dedicated senior secured loan funds or captive mezzanine funds, with its opportunistic credit strategy, the Fund will seek to provide flexible financing solutions across the capital structure. The Fund will seek to make investments in opportunities that involve complexity and structural inefficiencies, and will retain the ability to invest across the capital structure in both public and private markets, including senior secured credit, structurally- or lien-subordinated credit, and certain opportunities through equity and equity-linked securities.
17 |
Loans and Structured Credit
Through its loans and structured credit strategy, the Fund intends to invest in performing senior secured bank loans and the debt and equity tranches of CLOs that are backed by senior secured corporate loans made to companies operating primarily in the U.S. or Europe. The Fund will focus on CLO investments sourced from the secondary market that are priced at a discount to par. The Fund expects that it may purchase tranches from sellers who are impacted by fund redemptions or regulatory pressures. The Fund will actively seek out CLOs backed by pools of collateral that have overlap with the Sub-Adviser’s analyst coverage universe and portfolios and that are managed by third-party investment advisers with a demonstrated track record in CLO management. The Fund may also invest in broadly syndicated loans.
Distressed Credit
Through its distressed credit strategy, the Fund generally will seek to invest in liquid and illiquid securities and obligations, including secured debt, senior and subordinated unsecured debt, convertible debt obligations, preferred stock and public and private equity of financially distressed companies in defensive and asset-rich industries. In certain investments, the Fund may seek to restructure pre-reorganization debt claims into controlling positions in the equity of the reorganized companies.
Access to Carlyle’s Transaction Flow and Expertise. In conducting its investment activities, the Fund believes that it will benefit from the significant scale and resources of Carlyle and its affiliates. The Fund is served by an origination, capital markets, underwriting and portfolio management team comprised of experienced investment professionals. The Fund’s investment team utilizes a rigorous, systematic, and consistent investment process, refined over Carlyle’s history investing in private markets across multiple cycles, designed to achieve enhanced risk-adjusted returns.
The Fund’s investment team will seek to identify key sector themes through primary research and their extensive industry expertise in order to guide idea generation. The investment team will leverage Carlyle’s industry-dedicated research analysts to assess the relative attractiveness of investment opportunities across industries. Once a theme has been identified and confirmed through qualitative and data analysis of internal and third-party industry resources, the investment team will develop proprietary screening tools that seek to identify potential credit instruments. These opportunities may include private corporates in out-of-favor sectors with an inability to access traditional capital markets and liquid credit instruments with compelling valuations relative to their underlying cash flow characteristics and/or collateral value.
The Fund will seek to source opportunities through Carlyle’s extensive global relationships and proprietary network and through the deep infrastructure Carlyle has developed in each of the Fund’s credit strategies, including:
18 |
The Fund may also benefit from opportunities sourced by Carlyle investment vehicles that fall outside the scope of their respective investment mandates.
Portfolio Composition
The Fund’s portfolio will consist of some combination of the following types of investments: |
19 |
Direct Lending. The Fund may invest in first lien senior secured loans (including “unitranche” loans, which are loans that combine both senior and junior debt, generally in a first lien position), second lien senior secured loans and mezzanine debt, which in some cases includes an equity component, of U.S. middle-market companies, where the Advisers believe the supply of primary capital is limited and the investment opportunities are most attractive. These investments are typically made to companies with annual EBITDA between $10 million and $100 million.
Opportunistic Credit. The Fund’s opportunistic credit investments may include (i) highly-structured and privately-negotiated capital solutions supporting corporate borrowers as an alternative to traditional capital markets (including through secured loans, senior subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, convertible notes, preferred equity, warrants and other debt-like instruments, as well as equity in such corporate borrowers), (ii) event-driven opportunities that exhibit hybrid credit and equity features (e.g., stressed or distressed lending, asset-level investing or bank regulatory capital replacement) and (iii) primary and secondary market investments in liquid debt instruments that arise as a result of temporary market volatility (e.g., hung bank syndications and stressed liquid credit). A hung bank syndication occurs when a bank provides funding for a transaction, expecting it to be refinanced at a later date, and market forces cause the bank to sell the bonds at a discount in order to attract investor interest contrary to prior expectations.
Collateralized Loans Obligations. CLOs are backed by a portfolio of senior secured loans. The Fund’s CLO investments may include senior/mezzanine CLO debt tranches (rated investment grade), mezzanine CLO debt tranches (rated below investment grade or unrated), subordinated CLO equity tranches (unrated), leveraged loans (including warehouse facilities that hold such loans) and vehicles that invest indirectly in CLO securities or leveraged loans. Broadly Syndicated Corporate Loans. Syndicated Loans generally hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a borrower, are typically secured with specific collateral and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the borrower that is senior to that held by unsecured creditors, subordinated debt holders and holders of equity of the borrower. Typically, in order to borrow money pursuant to a Syndicated Loan, a borrower will, for the term of the Syndicated Loan, pledge collateral (subject to typical exceptions), including but not limited to (i) working capital assets, such as accounts receivable and inventory; (ii) tangible fixed assets, such as real property, buildings and equipment; (iii) intangible assets, such as trademarks and patent rights; and (iv) security interests in shares of stock of subsidiaries or affiliates. In the case of Syndicated Loans made to non-public companies, the company’s shareholders or owners may provide collateral in the form of secured guarantees and/or security interests in assets that they own. In many instances, a Syndicated Loan may be secured only by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries. Collateral may consist of assets that may not be readily liquidated, and there is no assurance that the liquidation of such assets would satisfy fully a borrower’s obligations under a Syndicated Loan. A borrower must comply with various covenants contained in a loan agreement or note purchase agreement between the borrower and the holders of the Syndicated Loan (the “Loan Agreement”). In a typical Syndicated Loan, an administrative agent (the “Agent”) administers the terms of the Loan Agreement. In such cases, the Agent is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions that are parties to the Loan Agreement. The Fund will generally rely upon the Agent or an intermediate participant to receive and forward to the Fund its portion of the principal and interest payments on the Syndicated Loan. Additionally, the Fund normally will rely on the Agent and the other loan investors to use appropriate credit remedies against the borrower. The Agent is typically responsible for monitoring compliance with covenants contained in the Loan Agreement based upon reports prepared by the borrower. The Agent may monitor the value of the collateral and, if the value of the collateral declines, may accelerate the Syndicated Loan, may give the borrower an opportunity to provide additional collateral or may seek other protection for the benefit of the participants in the Syndicated Loan. The Agent is compensated by the borrower for providing these services under a Loan Agreement, and such compensation may include special fees paid upon structuring and funding the Syndicated Loan and other fees paid on a continuing basis. Syndicated Loans typically have rates of interest that are determined daily, monthly, quarterly or semi-annually by reference to a base lending rate, plus a premium or credit spread. As a result, as short-term interest rates increase, interest payable to the Fund from its investments in Syndicated Loans should increase, and as short-term interest rates decrease, interest payable to the Fund from its investments in Syndicated Loans should decrease. These base lending rates are primarily LIBOR and secondarily the prime rate offered by one or more major U.S. banks and the certificate of deposit rate or other base lending rates used by commercial lenders. Although not initially a principal investment strategy, the Fund may purchase and retain in its portfolio Syndicated Loans where the borrower has experienced, or may be perceived to be likely to experience, credit problems, including involvement in or recent emergence from bankruptcy court proceedings or other forms of debt restructuring. Such distressed investments may provide opportunities for enhanced income as well as capital appreciation, although they also will be subject to greater risk of loss. At times, in connection with the restructuring of a Syndicated Loan either outside of bankruptcy court or in the context of bankruptcy court proceedings, the Fund may determine or be required to accept equity securities or junior credit securities in exchange for all or a portion of a Syndicated Loan. In the process of buying, selling and holding Syndicated Loans, the Fund may receive and/or pay certain fees. These fees are in addition to interest payments received and may include facility fees, commitment fees, amendment fees, commissions and prepayment penalty fees. On an ongoing basis, the Fund may receive a commitment fee based on the undrawn portion of the underlying line of credit portion of a Syndicated Loan. In certain circumstances, the Fund may receive a prepayment penalty fee upon the prepayment of a Syndicated Loan by a borrower. Other fees received by the Fund may include covenant waiver fees, covenant modification fees or other amendment fees.
Distressed Credit. The Fund may invest in preferred or common shares, or other instruments, of companies undergoing, or that have recently completed, bankruptcies, reorganizations, insolvencies, liquidations or other fundamental changes or similar proceedings. In any investment opportunity involving any such type, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction either will be unsuccessful, will take considerable time or will result in a distribution of cash or new securities, the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the securities or other financial instruments in respect of which such distribution is received. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell its investment at a loss. The consummation of such transactions can be prevented or delayed by a variety of factors, including but not limited to (i) intervention of a regulatory agency; (ii) market conditions resulting in material changes in securities prices; (iii) compliance with any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or securities laws; and (iv) the inability to obtain adequate financing. Because there is substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund intends to invest, there is a potential risk of loss by the Fund of its entire investment in such companies.
Other Investment Strategies. The Fund may also invest in notes, bills, debentures, bank loans, convertible and preferred securities, government and municipal obligations and other credit instruments with similar economic characteristics. In addition, from time to time, the Fund may invest in or hold common stock and other equity securities incidental to the purchase or ownership of a credit investments or in connection with a reorganization of a borrower. The Fund may engage in short sales. To a limited extent, the Fund may also use derivatives to gain investment exposure to credit instruments, provide downside protection and to dampen volatility. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will be counted toward the Fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its assets in private fixed-income securities and credit instruments. As a result, the market value of a derivative instrument that provides the Fund with indirect exposure to private fixed-income securities and credit instruments will be counted toward the Fund’s 80% policy. Derivatives may allow the Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk to which the Fund is exposed more quickly and efficiently than transactions in other types of instruments. The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, to the extent that these investments are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, strategies and policies and permissible under the 1940 Act or any applicable exemption therefrom. The Fund may invest in other investment companies to gain broad market or sector exposure, including during periods when it has large amounts of uninvested cash or when the Advisers believe share prices of other investment companies offer attractive values.
Other Characteristics
Foreign Instruments. The Fund may make investments in non-U.S. entities, including issuers in emerging markets. Emerging market countries are countries that major international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, generally consider to be less economically mature than developed nations, such as the United States or most nations in Western Europe. Emerging market countries can include every nation in the world except the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most countries located in Western Europe. The Fund expects that its investment in non-U.S. issuers will be made primarily in U.S. dollar denominated securities, but it reserves the right to purchase securities that are foreign currency denominated. Some non-U.S. securities may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Factors considered in determining whether an issuer may be deemed to be from a particular foreign country or geographic region include, among others, the issuer’s principal trading market, the country in which the issuer was legally organized, whether the issuer derives a substantial portion of its operations or assets from a particular country or region or derives a substantial portion of its revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales outside of the United States.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities. The Fund invests in instruments that, at the time of investment, are illiquid (generally, those securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the value at which the Fund has valued the securities). The Fund may also invest, without limit, in securities that are unregistered (but are eligible for purchase and sale by certain qualified institutional buyers) or are held by control persons of the issuer and securities that are subject to contractual restrictions on their resale.
Cash and Short-Term Investments. The Fund may invest its cash balances in money market instruments, U.S. government securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements and other high-quality debt instruments maturing in one year or less, among other instruments. In addition, and in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions, the Fund may invest in high-quality fixed income securities, money market instruments and money market funds or may hold significant positions in cash or cash equivalents for defensive purposes.
|
The Investment Process
The Adviser’s Portfolio Allocation Advisory Committee (“PAAC”) oversees the allocation of the Fund’s assets among the various credit strategies, and is broadly responsible for (i) formulating, monitoring and updating the investment policy statement of the Fund, (ii) advising as to strategic and tactical allocation in response to dynamic market conditions and reviewing weightings across credit strategies to ensure they are consistent with the Committee’s target allocations, (iii) oversight of the investment portfolio of the Fund, (iv) reviewing the valuation policy and procedures for the Fund and (v) monitoring the risk management process for the Fund. The PAAC currently consists of seven individuals, with five voting and two non-voting members. OFI has appointed two voting members of the PAAC, Kamal Bhatia and Andrew Peters, and two non-voting members, Stephen Volpe and Rohit Vohra. Carlyle has appointed three voting members, Mark Jenkins, Justin Plouffe and Linda Pace. Carlyle has the right to appoint two non-voting members to the PAAC, but has currently not appointed any non-voting members. Mark Jenkins currently serves as the chairman of the PAAC and Kamal Bhatia serves as the vice-chairman. PAAC meetings are held at least quarterly.
Following the allocation of the Fund’s assets by the PAAC, investments in each strategy are determined and sourced by the Sub-Adviser.
20 |
TYPES OF INVESTMENTS AND RELATED RISKS
Investors should carefully consider the risk factors described below, before deciding on whether to make an investment in the Fund. The risks set out below are not the only risks the Fund faces. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to the Fund or that the Fund currently deems to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect the Fund’s business, financial condition and/or operating results. If any of the following events occur, the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the NAV of the Fund’s Shares could decline, and investors may lose all or part of their investment.
Risks Relating to Investment Strategies, Fund Investments and the Fund’s Investment Program
Nature of the Fund’s Investments. The Fund has a very broad mandate with respect to the type and nature of investments in which it participates. While some of the loans in which the Fund will invest may be secured, the Fund may also invest in debt or equity securities that are either unsecured and subordinated to substantial amounts of senior indebtedness, or a significant portion of which may be unsecured. In such instances, the ability of the Fund to influence an issuer’s affairs, especially during periods of financial distress or following an insolvency is likely to be substantially less than that of senior creditors. For example, under terms of subordination agreements, senior creditors are typically able to block the acceleration of the debt or other exercises by the Fund of its rights as a creditor. Accordingly, the Fund may not be able to take the steps necessary to protect its investments in a timely manner or at all. In addition, the debt securities in which the Fund will invest may not be protected by financial covenants or limitations upon additional indebtedness, may have limited liquidity and may not be rated by a credit rating agency.
The borrowers of loans constituting the Fund’s assets may seek the protections afforded by bankruptcy, insolvency and other debtor relief laws. Bankruptcy proceedings are unpredictable as described further below in “Investments in Restructurings.” Additionally, the numerous risks inherent in the insolvency process create a potential risk of loss by the Fund of its entire investment in any particular investment. Insolvency laws may, in certain jurisdictions, result in a restructuring of the debt without the Fund’s consent under the “cramdown” provisions of applicable insolvency laws and may also result in a discharge of all or part of the debt without payment to the Fund.
Debt securities are also subject to other risks, including (i) the possible invalidation of an investment transaction as a “fraudulent conveyance,” (ii) the recovery of liens perfected or payments made on account of a debt in the period before an insolvency filing as a “preference,” (iii) equitable subordination claims by other creditors, (iv) so called “lender liability” claims by the issuer of the obligations (see “Risks Related to Investments in Loans”) and (v) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations. Additionally, adverse credit events with respect to any issuer, such as missed or delayed payment of interest and/or principal, bankruptcy, receivership, or distressed exchange, can significantly diminish the value of the Fund’s investment in any such company. The Fund’s investments may be subject to early redemption features, refinancing options, pre-payment options or similar provisions which, in each case, could result in the issuer repaying the principal on an obligation held by the Fund earlier than expected. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be realized.
Risks Related to Investments in Loans. The Fund may invest in loans, either through primary issuances or in secondary transactions, including potentially on a synthetic basis. The value of the Fund’s loans may be detrimentally affected to the extent a borrower defaults on its obligations. There can be no assurance that the value assigned by the Advisers to collateralize an underlying loan can be realized upon liquidation, nor can there be any assurance that any such collateral will retain its value. Furthermore, circumstances could arise (such as in the bankruptcy of a borrower) that could cause the Fund’s security interest in the loan’s collateral to be invalidated. Also, much of the collateral will be subject to restrictions on transfer intended to satisfy securities regulations, which will limit the number of potential purchasers if the Fund intends to liquidate such collateral. The amount realizable with respect to a loan may be detrimentally affected if a guarantor, if any, fails to meet its obligations under a guarantee. Finally, there may be a monetary, as well as a time cost involved in collecting on defaulted loans and, if applicable, taking possession of various types of collateral.
The portfolio may include first lien senior secured, second and third lien loans and any other loans.
First Lien Senior Secured Loans. It is expected that when the Fund makes a senior secured term loan investment in an issuer, it will generally take a security interest in substantially all of the available assets of the issuer, including the
21 |
equity interests of its domestic subsidiaries, which the Fund expects to help mitigate the risk that it will not be repaid. However, there is a risk that the collateral securing the Fund’s 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 issuer to raise additional capital, and, in some circumstances, the Fund’s lien could be subordinated to claims of other creditors. In addition, deterioration in an issuer’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 the Fund will receive principal and interest payments according to the loan’s terms, or at all, or that it will be able to collect on the loan should it be forced to enforce its remedies.
Second Lien Senior Secured Loans and Junior Debt investments. Second and third lien loans are subject to the same investment risks generally applicable to senior loans described above. The Fund’s second lien senior secured loans will be subordinated to first lien loans and the Fund’s junior debt investments, such as mezzanine loans, generally will be subordinated to both first lien and second lien loans and have junior security interests or may be unsecured. As such, to the extent the Fund holds second lien senior secured loans and junior debt investments, holders of first lien loans may be repaid before the Fund in the event of a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding. Therefore second and third lien loans are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the related obligor and the property securing the second or third lien loan may be insufficient to repay the scheduled payments to the lender after giving effect to any senior secured obligations of the related obligor. This may result in an above average amount of risk and loss of principal. Second and third lien loans are also expected to be more illiquid than senior loans.
Unsecured Loans. Unsecured loans are subject to the same investment risks generally applicable to loans described above but are subject to additional risk that the assets and cash flow of the related obligor may be insufficient to repay the scheduled payments to the lender after giving effect to any secured obligations of the obligor. Unsecured loans will be subject to certain additional risks to the extent that such loans may not be protected and such loans are not secured by collateral, financial covenants or limitations upon additional indebtedness. Unsecured loans are also expected to be a more illiquid investment than senior loans for this reason.
Other Risks Related to Loans. Under the agreements governing most syndicated loans, should a holder of an interest in a syndicated loan wish to call a default or exercise remedies against a borrower, it could not do so without the agreement of at least a majority of the other lenders. Actions could also be taken by a majority of the other lenders, or in some cases, a single agent bank, without the consent of all lenders. Each lender would nevertheless be liable to indemnify the agent bank for its ratable share of expenses or other liabilities incurred in such connection and, generally, with respect to the administration and any renegotiation or enforcement of the syndicated loans. Moreover, an assignee or participant in a loan may not be entitled to certain gross-up payments in respect of withholding taxes and other indemnities that otherwise might be available to the original holder of the loan.
Furthermore, the Advisers may invest a portion of the Fund’s assets in bank loans and participations. The special risks associated with these obligations include (i) the possible invalidation of an investment transaction as a fraudulent conveyance under relevant creditors’ rights laws, (ii) adverse consequences resulting from participating in such instruments with other institutions with lower credit quality and (iii) limitations on the ability of the Fund or the Advisers to directly enforce its rights with respect to participations. The Advisers will seek to balance the magnitude of these and other risks identified by it against the potential investment gain prior to entering into each such investment. Successful claims by third parties arising from these and other risks, absent bad faith, may be borne by the Fund. Bank loans are frequently traded on the basis of standardized documentation which is used in order to facilitate trading and market liquidity. There can be no assurance, however, that future levels of supply and demand in bank loan trading will provide an adequate degree of liquidity or that the current level of liquidity will continue or that the same documentation will be used in the future. The settlement of trading in bank loans often requires the involvement of third parties, such as administrative or syndication agents, and there presently is no central clearinghouse or authority which monitors or facilitates the trading or settlement of all bank loan trades. Often, settlement may be delayed based on the actions of any third party or counterparty, and adverse price movements may occur in the time between trade and settlement, which could result in adverse consequences for the Fund.
In recent years, a number of judicial decisions in the United States have upheld the right of borrowers to sue lending institutions on the basis of various evolving legal theories (collectively termed “lender liability”). Generally, lender liability is founded upon the premise that an institutional lender has violated a duty (whether implied or contractual) of good faith and fair dealing owed to a borrower or has assumed a degree of control over the borrower resulting in a
22 |
creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the borrower or its other creditors or shareholders. Because of the nature of certain of the Fund’s investments, the Fund could be subject to allegations of lender liability.
The Fund may acquire interests in bank loans either directly (by way of sale or assignment) or indirectly (by way of participation). The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a contracting party under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation; however, its rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution. Participation interests in a portion of a debt obligation typically result in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating out the interest and not with the borrower. In purchasing participations, the Fund typically will not have the right to vote on matters requiring a vote of holders of the underlying debt and may have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, or any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, if the Fund were to hold a participation, it would assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation to the Fund. In certain circumstances, investing in the form of participation may be the most advantageous or only route for the Fund to make or hold any such investment, including in light of limitations relating to local laws or the willingness of administrative agents or borrowers to allow the Fund to become a direct lender.
Finally, loans may become non-performing for a variety of reasons. Non-performing debt obligations may require substantial workout negotiations, restructuring or bankruptcy filings that may entail a substantial reduction in the interest rate, deferral of payments and/or a substantial write-down of the principal of a loan or conversion of some or all of the debt to equity. Additional costs associated with these activities may reduce returns.
Unitranche Loans. Unitranche loans provide leverage levels comparable to a combination of first lien and second lien or subordinated loans. 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 after the first out tranche is paid. The Fund intends to participate in “first out” and “last out” tranches of unitranche loans and make single unitranche loans.
Investments in Middle-Market Companies. Investments in middle-market companies such as those that the Fund may invest in, while often presenting greater opportunities for growth, may also entail larger risks than are customarily associated with investments in large companies. Middle-market companies may have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may be dependent on a smaller management group. As a result, such companies may be more vulnerable to general economic trends and to specific changes in markets and technology. In addition, future growth may be dependent on additional financing, which may not be available on acceptable terms when required. Furthermore, there is ordinarily a more limited marketplace for the sale of interests in smaller, private companies, which may make realizations of gains more difficult, by requiring sales to other private investors. In addition, the relative illiquidity of investments held by closed-end funds generally, and the somewhat greater illiquidity of closed-end fund investments in middle-market companies, could make it difficult for the Fund to react quickly to negative economic or political developments.
Investments in Less Established Companies. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the securities of less established companies. Certain of the investments may be in businesses with little or no operating history. Investments in such early-stage growth companies may involve greater risks than are generally associated with investments in more established companies. To the extent there is any public market for the securities held by the Fund, such securities may be subject to more abrupt and erratic market price movements than those of larger, more established companies. Less established companies tend to have lower capitalizations and fewer resources and are, therefore, often more vulnerable to financial failure. Such companies also may have shorter operating histories on which to judge future performance and in many cases, if operating, will have negative cash flow. There can be no assurance that any such losses will be offset by gains (if any) realized on the Fund’s other investments. In addition, less mature companies could be deemed to be more susceptible to irregular accounting or other fraudulent practices. In the event of fraud by any company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may suffer a partial or total loss of capital invested in that company.
The Fund may invest in issuers that: (i) have little or no operating history, (ii) offer services or products that are not yet ready to be marketed, (iii) are operating at a loss or have significant fluctuations in operating results, (iv) are engaged in a rapidly changing business or (v) need substantial additional capital to set up internal infrastructure, hire management and personnel, support expansion or achieve or maintain a competitive position. Such issuers may face
23 |
intense competition, including competition from companies with greater financial resources, more extensive capabilities and a larger number of qualified managerial and technical personnel.
High Yield Debt. The Fund may invest in debt securities that may be classified as “higher-yielding” (and, therefore, higher-risk) debt securities (also known as “junk bonds”). In most cases, such debt will be rated below “investment grade” or will be unrated and will face both ongoing uncertainties and exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions and the issuer’s failure to make timely interest and principal payments. The market for high yield securities (junk bonds) has experienced periods of volatility and reduced liquidity. High yield securities (junk bonds) may or may not be subordinated to certain other outstanding securities and obligations of the issuer, which may be secured by all or substantially all of the issuer’s assets. High yield securities (junk bonds) may also not be protected by financial covenants or limitations on additional indebtedness. The market values of certain of these debt securities may reflect individual corporate developments. General economic recession or a major decline in the demand for products and services in the industry in which the borrower operates would likely have a materially adverse impact on the value of such securities or could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon and increase the incidence of default of such securities. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the value and liquidity of these high yield debt securities (junk bonds).
Distressed Credit Investments. The Fund’s distressed credit investments (e.g., investments in defaulted, out-of-favor or distressed bank loans and debt and equity securities) are inherently speculative and are subject to a high degree of risk. Companies experiencing financial distress are often those operating at a loss or with substantial variations in operating results from period to period. Companies experiencing financial distress may be involved in insolvency proceedings and have the need for substantial additional capital to support continued operations or to improve their financial condition and may have very high amounts of leverage. Distressed companies typically are in default under, or have a significant risk of an inability to service, their debt obligations, especially during an economic downturn or periods of rising interest rates, may not have access to more traditional methods of financing and may be unable to repay debt by refinancing. Investments in distressed companies may be premised on a turnaround strategy. If turnarounds are not achieved, these companies could experience failures or substantial declines in value, and the Fund may not be able to divest itself of such unprofitable investments in a timely fashion or at all. Additionally, turnarounds may not be achieved within the contemplated investment horizons.
The value of distressed instruments tends to be more volatile and may have an increased price sensitivity to changing interest rates and adverse economic and business developments than other securities or instruments. Distressed credit investments are often more sensitive to company-specific developments and changes in economic conditions than other securities. Furthermore, distressed debt instruments are often unsecured and may be subordinated to senior debt. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund should only be considered by persons who can afford a loss of their entire investment.
Mezzanine Investments. Most of the Fund’s mezzanine investments (if any) are expected to be unsecured and made in companies whose capital structures have significant indebtedness ranking ahead of the investments, all or a significant portion of which may be secured. While the investments may benefit from the same or similar financial and other covenants as those enjoyed by the indebtedness ranking ahead of the investments and may benefit from cross-default provisions and security over the issuer’s assets, some or all of such terms may not be part of particular investments. Moreover, the ability of the Fund to influence an issuer’s affairs, especially during periods of financial distress or following an insolvency, is likely to be substantially less than that of senior creditors. Mezzanine investments generally are subject to various risks, including, without limitation: (i) a subsequent characterization of an investment as a “fraudulent conveyance”; (ii) the recovery as a “preference” of liens perfected or payments made on account of a debt in the 90 days before a bankruptcy filing; (iii) equitable subordination claims by other creditors; (iv) so-called “lender liability” claims by the issuer of the obligations; and (v) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations.
Preferred Stock. Preferred stock generally has a preference as to dividends and upon the event of liquidation over an issuer’s common stock, but it ranks junior to debt securities in an issuer’s capital structure. Preferred stock generally pays dividends in cash (or additional shares of preferred stock) at a defined rate, but unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer’s board of directors. Dividends on preferred stock may be cumulative, meaning that, in the event the issuer fails to make one or more dividend payments
24 |
on the preferred stock, no dividends may be paid on the issuer’s common stock until all unpaid preferred stock dividends have been paid. Preferred stock may also be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security generally entitles its holder to receive interest or a dividend until the convertible security matures or is redeemed or converted. Convertible securities generally: (i) have higher yields than the dividends on the underlying common stocks, but lower yields than non-convertible securities of a comparable duration; (ii) are less volatile in price than the underlying common stock due to their fixed-income characteristics; (iii) have a significant option component to their value which is directly impacted by the prevailing market volatility and interest rates; and (iv) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value” (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion feature) and its “conversion value” (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates (with investment value declining as interest rates increase) as well as market volatility (with the conversion value increasing as market volatility increases). The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also have an effect on investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent that the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed-income security. Generally, the amount of the premium decreases (as with an option) as the convertible security approaches maturity.
A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required either to permit the issuer to redeem the security or convert it into the underlying common stock. Either of these actions could have an adverse effect on the value of the position.
Collateralized Loan Obligations. In the case of most CLOs, the structured finance securities are issued in multiple tranches, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics, often categorized as senior, mezzanine and subordinated/equity according to their degree of risk. If there are defaults or the relevant collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches of such securities take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches have a priority in right of payment to subordinated/equity tranches.
In light of the above, CLOs may therefore present risks similar to those of other types of debt obligations and, in fact, such risks may be of greater significance in the case of CLOs depending upon the Fund’s ranking in the capital structure. In certain cases, losses may equal the total amount of the Fund’s principal investment. Investments in structured vehicles, including equity and junior debt securities issued by CLOs, involve risks, including credit risk and market risk. Changes in interest rates and credit quality may cause significant price fluctuations.
In addition to the general risks associated with investing in debt securities, CLO securities carry additional risks, including: (1) the possibility that distributions from collateral assets will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (2) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (3) investments in CLO equity and junior debt tranches will likely be subordinate in right of payment to other senior classes of CLO debt; and (4) the complex structure of a particular security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results. Additionally, changes in the collateral held by a CLO may cause payments on the instruments held by the Fund to be reduced, either temporarily or permanently. CLOs also may be subject to prepayment risk. Further, the performance of a CLO may be adversely affected by a variety of factors, including the security’s priority in the capital structure of the issuer thereof, the availability of any credit enhancement, the level and timing of payments and recoveries on and the characteristics of the underlying receivables, loans or other assets that are being securitized, remoteness of those assets from the originator or transferor, the adequacy of and ability to realize upon any related collateral and the capability of the servicer of the securitized assets. There are also the risks that the trustee of a CLO does not properly carry out its duties to the CLO, potentially resulting in loss to the CLO. In
25 |
addition, the complex structure of the security may produce unexpected investment results, especially during times of market stress or volatility.
Investing in securities of CLOs involves the possibility of investments being subject to potential losses arising from material misrepresentation or omission on the part of borrowers whose loans make up the assets of such entities. Such inaccuracy or incompleteness may adversely affect the valuation of the receivables or may adversely affect the ability of the relevant entity to perfect or effectuate a lien on the collateral securing its assets. The CLOs in which the Fund invests will rely upon the accuracy and completeness of representations made by the underlying borrowers to the extent reasonable, but cannot guarantee such accuracy or completeness. The quality of the Fund’s investments in CLOs is subject to the accuracy of representations made by the underlying borrowers. In addition, the Fund is subject to the risk that the systems used by the originators of CLOs to control for accuracy are defective. Under certain circumstances, payments to the Fund may be reclaimed if any such payment or distribution is later determined to have been a fraudulent conveyance or a preferential payment.
To the extent underlying default rates with respect to the securities in which the Fund invests occur or otherwise increase, the performance of the Fund’s investments may be adversely affected. The rate of defaults and losses on debt instruments will be affected by a number of factors, including global, regional and local economic conditions in the area where the borrower operates, the financial circumstances of the borrower as well as the general market conditions. A decline in global markets (or any particular sub-market thereof) may result in higher delinquencies and/or defaults as borrowers may not be able to repay or refinance their outstanding debt obligations when due for a variety of reasons, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund’s investments.
CLOs typically will have no significant assets other than the assets underlying such CLOs, including, but not limited to, secured loans, leveraged loans, project finance loans, unsecured loans, cash collateralized letters of credit and other asset-backed obligations, and/or instruments (each of which may be listed or unlisted and in bearer or registered form) that serve as collateral. Payments on the CLO securities are and will be payable solely from the cash flows from the collateral, net of all management fees and other expenses.
The failure by a CLO in which the Fund invests to satisfy financial covenants, including with respect to adequate collateralization and/or interest coverage tests, could lead to a reduction in its payments to the Fund. In the event that a CLO fails certain tests, holders of CLO senior debt may be entitled to additional payments that would, in turn, reduce the payments the Fund would otherwise be entitled to receive. Separately, the Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, which may include the waiver of certain financial covenants, with a defaulting CLO or any other investment the Fund may make. If any of these occur, it could materially and adversely affect the Fund’s returns.
Issuers may be subject to management, administration and incentive or performance fees. Payment of such additional fees will adversely impact on the returns achieved by the Fund.
The Fund may hold securities that are in a first loss or subordinated position with respect to realized losses on the collateral of its issuers. The leveraged nature of CLOs, in particular, magnifies the adverse impact of loan defaults. CLO investments represent a leveraged investment with respect to the underlying loans. Therefore, changes in the market value of the CLO investments could be greater than the change in the market value of the underlying loans, which are subject to credit, liquidity and interest rate risk.
The Fund’s investments and the assets that collateralize them may prepay more quickly than expected and have an impact on the value of the Fund. Prepayment rates are influenced by changes in interest rates and a variety of factors beyond the Fund’s control and consequently cannot be accurately predicted. Early prepayments give rise to increased re-investment risk, as the Fund or a CLO collateral manager might realize excess cash from prepayments earlier than expected. If the Fund or a CLO collateral manager is unable to reinvest such cash in a new investment with an expected rate of return at least equal to that of the investment repaid, this may reduce net income and the fair value of that asset.
The Fund is expected to rely on CLO collateral managers to administer and review the portfolios of collateral they manage. The actions of the CLO collateral managers may significantly affect the return on investments. The ability of each CLO collateral manager to identify and report on issues affecting its securitization portfolio on a timely basis could also affect the return on investments, as the Fund may not be provided with information on a timely basis in order to take appropriate measures to manage its risks. The Fund is also expected to rely on CLO collateral managers
26 |
to act in the best interests of a CLO it manages. If any CLO collateral manager were to act in a manner that was not in the best interest of the CLOs (e.g., gross negligence, with reckless disregard or in bad faith), this could adversely impact the overall performance of investments.
There could in the future be circumstances when uncertainty exists with respect to the roles of certain parties in respect of the Fund’s issuers. Various issues may arise for which there may not be a clear answer in the transaction documents of such issuers, such as, for example only, whether the trustee is obligated to actively search for breaches of representations and warranties, whether holders of the issuer should be allowed access to all deal documents and whether principal forgiveness should be treated as a realized loss. The manner in which these open issues are resolved, specifically those which impact the receipt and allocation of underlying cash flows and losses, could adversely impact the Fund’s current and future investments in issuers.
The failure of servicers to effectively service the loans underlying certain of the investments in the Fund would materially and adversely affect the Fund. Most securitizations of loans require a servicer to manage collections on each of the underlying loans. Both default frequency and default severity of loans may depend upon the quality of the servicer. If servicers are not vigilant in encouraging borrowers to make their monthly payments, the borrowers may be far less likely to make these payments, which could result in a higher frequency of default. If servicers take longer to liquidate non-performing assets, loss severities may tend to be higher than originally anticipated. The failure of servicers to effectively service the receivables underlying certain assets in the Fund’s investments could negatively impact the value of its investments and its performance. Servicer quality is of prime importance in the default performance of certain personal loans. Servicers may go out of business which would require a transfer of servicing to another servicer. Such transfers take time and loans may become delinquent because of confusion or lack of attention. Servicers may be required to advance interest on delinquent loans to the extent the servicer deems those advances recoverable. In the event the servicer does not advance, interest may be interrupted even on more senior securities. Servicers may also advance more than is in fact recoverable once a defaulted loan is disposed, and the loss to the trust may be greater than the outstanding principal balance of that loan (greater than 100% loss severity). For securitizations with corporate loans, the collateral manager’s role in reinvestment of principal amortization in performing credits and with respect to loans that default, as well as its ability to actively manage the portfolio through trading, will have a significant impact on the value of the underlying collateral and the performance of its securitization. If the collateral manager reinvests proceeds into loans which then default, does not sell loans before such loans default close to the original purchase price or does not effectively contribute to a restructuring process to maximize value of the loan the securitization owns, the collateral manager could materially and adversely impact the Fund’s investments.
The Fund’s investment strategy with respect to certain investments (or types of investments) may be based, in part, upon the premise that interests in issuers and/or an issuer’s underlying collateral that are otherwise performing may from time to time be available for participation by the Fund at “discounted” rates or at “undervalued” prices. Purchasing debt instruments and/or other interests at what may appear to be “undervalued” or “discounted” levels is no guarantee that these investments will generate attractive risk-adjusted returns to the Fund or will not be subject to further reductions in value. For reasons not necessarily attributable to any of the risks set forth herein (for example, supply/demand imbalances or other market forces), the prices of the debt instruments and other securities in which the Fund invests may decline substantially. In particular, purchasing debt instruments or other assets at what may appear to be “undervalued” or “discounted” levels is no guarantee that these assets will not be trading at even lower levels at a time of valuation or at the time of sale. It may not be possible to predict such “spread widening” risk. Additionally, the perceived discount in pricing from previous environments described herein may still not reflect the true value of the collateral assets underlying debt instruments in which the Fund invests.
The fair value of investments may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates. Investments in senior-secured loans through CLOs are sensitive to interest rate levels and volatility. Although CLOs are generally structured to mitigate the risk of interest rate mismatch, there may be some difference between the timing of interest rate resets on the assets and liabilities of a CLO. Such a mismatch in timing could have a negative effect on the amount of funds distributed to CLO investors. In addition, CLOs may not be able to enter into hedge agreements, even if it may otherwise be in the best interests of the CLO to hedge such interest rate risk. Furthermore, in the event of a significant rising interest rate environment and/or economic downturn, loan defaults may increase and result in credit losses that may adversely affect the Fund’s cash flow, fair value of its assets and operating results.
27 |
As of the date of this prospectus, interest rates in the United States are at, or near, historic lows, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to risks associated with rising interest rates. Moreover, interest rate levels are currently impacted by extraordinarily accommodative monetary policy initiatives the effect of which is impossible to predict with certainty.
The senior-secured loans underlying CLOs typically have floating interest rates. A rising interest rate environment may increase loan defaults, resulting in losses for the CLOs and the Fund. Further, a general rise in interest rates will increase the financing costs of the CLOs. However, since many of the senior secured loans within these CLOs have LIBOR floors, there may not be corresponding increases in investment income constraining distributions to investors in these CLOs.
CLOs typically obtain financing at a floating rate based on LIBOR. Regulators and law-enforcement agencies from a number of governments, including entities in the United States, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, have conducted or are conducting civil and criminal investigations into whether the banks that contribute to the British Bankers’ Association (the “BBA”) in connection with the calculation of daily LIBOR may have been under-reporting or otherwise manipulating or attempting to manipulate LIBOR. Several financial institutions have reached settlements with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”), the U.S. Department of Justice Fraud Section and the United Kingdom Financial Services Authority in connection with investigations by such authorities into submissions made by such financial institutions to the bodies that set LIBOR and other interbank offered rates. In such settlements, such financial institutions admitted to submitting rates to the BBA that were lower than the actual rates at which such financial institutions could borrow funds from other banks. Additional investigations remain ongoing with respect to other major banks. There can be no assurance that there will not be additional admissions or findings of rate-setting manipulation or that manipulations of LIBOR or other similar interbank offered rates will not be shown to have occurred.
On July 9, 2013, it was announced that NYSE Euronext Rate Administration Limited would take over the administration of LIBOR from the BBA, subject to authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority and following a period of transition. Accordingly, ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (formerly NYSE Euronext Rate Administration Limited) assumed this role on February 1, 2014. Any new administrator of LIBOR may make methodological changes to the way in which LIBOR is calculated or may alter, discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of LIBOR. Any of such actions or other effects from the ongoing investigations could adversely affect the liquidity and value of the Fund’s investments. Further, additional admissions or findings of manipulation may decrease the confidence of the market in LIBOR and lead market participants to look for alternative, non-LIBOR based types of financing, such as fixed rate loans or bonds or floating rate loans based on non-LIBOR indices. An increase in alternative types of financing at the expense of LIBOR-based CLOs may impair the liquidity of the Fund’s investments. Additionally, it may make it more difficult for CLO issuers to satisfy certain conditions set forth in a CLO’s offering documents.
In July 2017, the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced the desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. Because the statements made by the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority are recent in nature, there is no definitive information regarding the future utilization of LIBOR or of any particular replacement rate. As such, the potential effect of any such event on the Fund’s cost of capital and net investment income cannot yet be determined.
CLOs are typically actively managed by an investment manager, and as a result the interests therein are traded, subject to credit rating agency and other constraints, by such investment manager. The aggregate return on the CLO equity securities will depend in part upon the ability of each investment manager to actively manage the issuer’s portfolio of assets. In that regard, prospective investors should note that it is possible that an affiliate of the Fund may participate (in certain instances) in the review and approval of the initial collateral selection of the Fund’s issuers as well as any collateral additions to the portfolio. However, the exercise of control over an issuer could expose the assets of the Fund to claims by such issuer, its investors and its creditors. While the Advisers intend to manage the Fund in a manner that will minimize the exposure of these risks, the possibility of successful claims cannot be precluded.
Between the closing date and the effective date of a CLO, the CLO collateral manager will generally expect to purchase additional collateral obligations for the CLO. During this period, the price and availability of these collateral obligations may be adversely affected by a number of market factors, including price volatility and availability of investments suitable for the CLO, which could hamper the ability of the collateral manager to acquire a portfolio of
28 |
collateral obligations that will satisfy specified concentration limitations and allow the CLO to reach the target initial par amount of collateral prior to the effective date. An inability or delay in reaching the target initial par amount of collateral may adversely affect the timing and amount of interest or principal payments received by the holders of the CLO debt securities and distributions on the CLO equity securities and could result in early redemptions which may cause CLO debt and equity investors to receive less than face value of their investment.
Limited Amortization Requirements. The Fund may invest in loans that have limited mandatory amortization requirements. While these loans may obligate an issuer to repay the loan out of asset sale proceeds, with annual excess cash flow or by refinancing upon maturity, repayment requirements may be subject to substantial limitations that would allow an issuer to retain such asset sale proceeds or cash flow, thereby extending the expected weighted average life of the investment. In addition, a low level of amortization of any debt over the life of the investment may increase the risk that an issuer will not be able to repay or refinance the loans held by the Fund when it matures.
Equity Investments. When the Fund invests in senior secured loans or mezzanine loans, it may acquire equity securities as well. In addition, the Fund may invest directly in the equity securities of issuers. The Fund’s goal is ultimately to dispose of such equity interests and realize gains upon its disposition of such interests. However, the equity interests received may not appreciate in value and, in fact, may decline in value. Accordingly, the Fund may not be able to realize gains from its equity interests, and any gains that it does realize on the disposition of any equity interests may not be sufficient to offset any other losses experienced.
Investments in Publicly Traded Companies. The Fund’s investment portfolio may contain securities or instruments issued by publicly-held companies. Such investments may subject the Fund to risks that differ in type or degree from those involved with investments in privately-held companies. Such risks include, without limitation, greater volatility in the valuation of such companies, increased obligations to disclose information regarding such companies, limitations on the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities or instruments at certain times, increased likelihood of shareholder litigation against such companies’ board members (which may include members of the Advisers) and increased costs associated with each of the aforementioned risks.
In addition, in respect of the Fund’s publicly traded debt investments, the Fund will not obtain financial covenants or other contractual rights, including management rights, that it might otherwise be able to obtain in making privately-negotiated investments. Moreover, the Fund may not have the same access to information in connection with investments in public securities, either when investing a potential investment or after making an investment, as compared to privately-negotiated investments. Furthermore, the Fund may be limited in its ability to make investments, and to sell existing investments, in public securities because the Advisers may be deemed to have material, nonpublic information regarding the issuers of those securities or as a result of other internal policies.
Credit Risk. One of the fundamental risks associated with the Fund’s investments is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments on its outstanding debt obligations when due. The Fund’s return to investors would be adversely impacted if an issuer of debt in which the Fund invests becomes unable to make such payments when due.
Although the Fund may make investments that the Advisers believe are secured by specific collateral, the value of which may initially exceed the principal amount of such investments or the Fund’s fair value of such investments, there can be no assurance that the liquidation of any such collateral would satisfy the borrower’s obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal payments with respect to such investment, or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. The Fund may also invest in leveraged loans, high yield securities, marketable and non-marketable common and preferred equity securities and other unsecured investments, each of which involves a higher degree of risk than senior secured loans. Furthermore, the Fund’s right to payment and its security interest, if any, may be subordinated to the payment rights and security interests of a senior lender, to the extent applicable. Certain of these investments may have an interest-only payment schedule, with the principal amount remaining outstanding and at risk until the maturity of the investment. In addition, loans may provide for payments-in-kind, which have a similar effect of deferring current cash payments. In such cases, an issuer’s ability to repay the principal of an investment may depend on a liquidity event or the long-term success of the company, the occurrence of which is uncertain.
With respect to the Fund’s investments in any number of credit products, if the borrower or issuer breaches any of the covenants or restrictions under the credit agreement that governs loans of such issuer or borrower, it could result in a
29 |
default under the applicable indebtedness as well as the indebtedness held by the Fund. Such default may allow the creditors to accelerate the related debt and may result in the acceleration of any other debt to which a cross-acceleration or cross-default provision applies. This could result in an impairment or loss of the Fund’s investment or a pre-payment (in whole or in part) of the Fund’s investment.
Similarly, while the Fund will generally target investing in companies it believes are of high quality, these companies could still present a high degree of business and credit risk. Companies in which the Fund invests could deteriorate as a result of, among other factors, an adverse development in their business, a change in the competitive environment or the continuation or worsening of the current (or any future) economic and financial market downturns and dislocations. As a result, companies that the Fund expected to be stable or improve may operate, or expect to operate, at a loss or have significant variations in operating results, may require substantial additional capital to support their operations or maintain their competitive position, or may otherwise have a weak financial condition or experience financial distress. In addition, exogenous factors such as fluctuations of the equity markets also could result in warrants and other equity securities or instruments owned by the Fund becoming worthless.
Prepayment Risk. Loans are generally callable at any time, and certain loans may be allocable at any time at no premium to par. The Advisers are generally unable to predict the rate and frequency of such repayments. Whether a loan is called will depend both on the continued positive performance of the issuer and the existence of favorable financing market conditions that allow such issuer the ability to replace existing financing with less expensive capital. As market conditions change frequently, the Advisers will often be unable to predict when, and if, this may be possible for each of the Fund’s issuers. In the case of some of these loans, having the loan called early may have the effect of reducing the Fund’s actual investment income below its expected investment income if the capital returned cannot be invested in transactions with equal or greater yields.
Interest Rate Risk. General interest rate fluctuations and changes in credit spreads on floating rate loans may have a substantial negative impact on the Fund’s investments and investment opportunities and, accordingly, may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s rate of return on invested capital, the Fund’s net investment income and the Fund’s NAV. Certain of the Fund’s debt investments will have variable interest rates that reset periodically based on benchmarks such as LIBOR and the prime rate, so an increase in interest rates from their historically low present levels may make it more difficult for issuers to service their obligations under the debt investments that the Fund will hold. In addition, to the extent the Fund borrows money to make investments, its returns will depend, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which it borrows funds and the rate at which it invests those funds. As a result, there can be no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s net investment income to the extent it uses debt to finance its investments. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund’s cost of funds would increase, which could reduce its net investment income. In general, rising interest rates will negatively impact the price of a fixed rate debt instrument and falling interest rates will have a positive effect on price. Adjustable rate instruments also react to interest rate changes in a similar manner, although generally to a lesser degree (depending, however, on the characteristics of the reset terms, including the index chosen, frequency of reset and reset caps or floors, among other factors). Interest rate sensitivity is generally more pronounced and less predictable in instruments with uncertain payment or prepayment schedules. The U.S. Federal Reserve has recently raised benchmark interest rates, and is expected to continue to do so and to tighten the monetary supply in the near future, which is expected to have a negative impact on the price of debt securities globally and while these adjustments may provide additional opportunities for the Fund, it is possible that these changes could adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments.
Investments in Highly Leveraged Issuers. The Fund’s investments are expected to include investments in issuers whose capital structures have significant leverage (including substantial leverage senior to the Fund’s investments), a considerable portion of which may be at floating interest rates. The leveraged capital structure of such issuers will increase their exposure to adverse economic factors such as rising interest rates, downturns in the economy or further deteriorations in the financial condition of the issuer or its industry. This leverage may result in more serious adverse consequences to such companies (including their overall profitability or solvency) in the event these factors or events occur than would be the case for less leveraged issuers. In using leverage, these issuers may be subject to terms and conditions that include restrictive financial and operating covenants, which may impair their ability to finance or otherwise pursue their future operations or otherwise satisfy additional capital needs. Moreover, rising interest rates may significantly increase the issuers or project’s interest expense, or a significant industry downturn may affect a company’s ability to generate positive cash flow, in either case causing an inability to service outstanding debt. The
30 |
Fund’s investments may be among the most junior financing in an issuer’s capital structure. In the event such issuer cannot generate adequate cash flow to meet debt obligations, the company may default on its loan agreements or be forced into bankruptcy resulting in a restructuring or liquidation of the company, and the Fund, particularly in light of the subordinated and/or unsecured position of the Fund’s investments, may suffer a partial or total loss of capital invested in the company, which could adversely affect the return of the Fund.
Investments in Restructurings. The Fund may invest in restructurings that involve, or otherwise invest in the debt securities of, companies that are experiencing or are expected to experience severe financial difficulties. These severe financial difficulties may never be overcome and may cause such companies to become subject to bankruptcy proceedings. The return on investment sought or targeted by the Fund in any investment in a restructuring may depend upon the restructuring progressing in a particular manner or resulting in a particular outcome (including regarding the conversion or repayment of the Fund’s investments). There can be no assurance that any such outcome, development or result will occur or be successful and, as a result, the premise underlying the Fund’s investment may never come to fruition and the Fund’s returns may be adversely affected. Investments in restructurings could, in certain circumstances, subject the Fund to certain additional potential liabilities that may exceed the value of the Fund’s original investment therein. For instance, under certain circumstances, payments to the Fund and distributions to Shareholders may be reclaimed if any such payment or distribution is later determined to have been a fraudulent conveyance, preferential payment or similar transaction under applicable bankruptcy and insolvency laws. Furthermore, investments in restructurings may be adversely affected by statutes relating to, among other things, fraudulent conveyances, voidable preferences, lender liability and the court’s discretionary power to disallow, subordinate or disenfranchise particular claims or characterize investments made in the form of debt as equity contributions. For certain restructurings, the Fund may utilize blocker corporations, which may incur federal and state income taxes. In restructurings, whether constituting liquidation (both in and out of bankruptcy) and other forms of corporate reorganization, there exists the risk that the restructuring either will be unsuccessful (due to, for example, failure to obtain requisite approvals), will be delayed (for example, until various liabilities, actual or contingent, have been satisfied) or will result in a distribution of cash or a new security or instrument the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the security in respect to which such distribution was made. The Fund may not be “hedged” against market fluctuations, or, in liquidation situations, may not accurately value the assets of the company being liquidated. This can result in losses, even if the proposed restructuring is consummated. Under certain circumstances, a lender that has inappropriately exercised control of the management and policies of a debtor may have its claims subordinated or disallowed, or may be found liable for damages suffered by parties as a result of such actions.
When a company seeks relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (or has a petition filed against it), an automatic stay prevents all entities, including creditors, from foreclosing or taking other actions to enforce claims, perfect liens or reach collateral securing such claims. Creditors who have claims against the company prior to the date of the bankruptcy filing must petition the court to permit them to take any action to protect or enforce their claims or their rights in any collateral. Such creditors may be prohibited from doing so if the court concludes that the value of the property in which the creditor has an interest will be “adequately protected” during the proceedings. If the Bankruptcy Court’s assessment of adequate protection is inaccurate, a creditor’s collateral may be wasted without the creditor being afforded the opportunity to preserve it. Thus, even if the Fund holds a secured claim, it may be prevented from collecting the liquidation value of the collateral securing its debt, unless relief from the automatic stay is granted by the court. Bankruptcy proceedings are inherently litigious, time consuming, highly complex and driven extensively by facts and circumstances, which can result in challenges in predicting outcomes. The equitable power of bankruptcy judges also can result in uncertainty as to the ultimate resolution of claims.
Security interests held by creditors are closely scrutinized and frequently challenged in bankruptcy proceedings and may be invalidated for a variety of reasons. For example, security interests may be set aside because, as a technical matter, they have not been perfected properly under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law. If a security interest is invalidated, the secured creditor loses the value of the collateral and because loss of the secured status causes the claim to be treated as an unsecured claim, the holder of such claim will almost certainly experience a significant loss of its investment. There can be no assurance that the security interests securing the Fund’s claims will not be challenged vigorously and found defective in some respect, or that the Fund will be able to prevail against the challenge.
31 |
Moreover, debt may be disallowed or subordinated to the claims of other creditors if the creditor is found guilty of certain inequitable conduct resulting in harm to other parties with respect to the affairs of a company filing for protection from creditors under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Creditors’ claims may be treated as equity if they are deemed to be contributions to capital, or if a creditor attempts to control the outcome of the business affairs of a company prior to its filing under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Serving on an official or unofficial creditors’ committee, for example, increases the possibility that the Fund will be deemed an “insider” or a “fiduciary” of an issuer it has so assisted and may increase the possibility that the Bankruptcy Court would invoke the doctrine of “equitable subordination” with respect to any claim or equity interest held by the Fund in such issuer and subordinate any such claim or equity interest in whole or in part to other claims or equity interests in such issuer. Claims of equitable subordination may also arise outside of the context of the Fund’s committee activities. If a creditor is found to have interfered with a company’s affairs to the detriment of other creditors or shareholders, the creditor may be held liable for damages to injured parties. While the Fund will attempt to avoid taking the types of action that would lead to equitable subordination or creditor liability, there can be no assurance that such claims will not be asserted or that the Fund will be able to successfully defend against them. In addition, if representation of a creditors’ committee of an issuer causes the Fund or the Advisers to be deemed an affiliate of such issuer, the securities of such issuer held by the Fund may become restricted securities, which are not freely tradable.
While the challenges to liens and debt described above normally occur in a bankruptcy proceeding, the conditions or conduct that would lead to an attack in a bankruptcy proceeding could in certain circumstances result in actions brought by other creditors of the debtor, shareholders of the debtor or even the debtor itself in other state or U.S. federal proceedings, including pursuant to state fraudulent transfer laws. As is the case in a bankruptcy proceeding, there can be no assurance that such claims will not be asserted or that the Fund will be able to defend against them successfully. To the extent the Fund assumes an active role in any legal proceeding involving the debtor, the Fund may be prevented from disposing of securities or instruments issued by the debtor due to the Fund’s possession of material, non-public information concerning the debtor.
From time to time, the Fund may invest in or extend loans to companies that have filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. These debtor-in-possession or “DIP” loans are most often revolving working-capital facilities put into place at the outset of a Chapter 11 case to provide the debtor with both immediate cash and the ongoing working capital that will be required during the reorganization process. While such loans are generally less risky than many other types of loans as a result of their seniority in the debtor’s capital structure and because their terms have been approved by a federal bankruptcy court order, it is possible that the debtor’s reorganization efforts may fail and the proceeds of the ensuing liquidation of the DIP lender’s collateral might be insufficient to repay in full the DIP loan.
In addition, issuers located in non-U.S. jurisdictions may be involved in restructurings, bankruptcy proceedings and/or reorganizations that are not subject to laws and regulations that are similar to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and the rights of creditors afforded in U.S. jurisdictions. To the extent such non-U.S. laws and regulations do not provide the Fund with equivalent rights and privileges necessary to promote and protect its interest in any such proceeding, the Fund’s investments in any such issuer may be adversely affected. For example, bankruptcy law and process in a non-U.S. jurisdiction may differ substantially from that in the United States, resulting in greater uncertainty as to the rights of creditors, the enforceability of such rights, reorganization timing and the classification, seniority and treatment of claims. In certain developing countries, although bankruptcy laws have been enacted, the process for reorganization remains highly uncertain.
Non-Performing Investments. The Fund’s portfolio may include investments whose underlying collateral are “non-performing” and that are typically highly leveraged, with significant burdens on cash flow and, therefore, involve a high degree of financial risk. During an economic downturn or recession, securities of financially troubled or operationally troubled issuers are more likely to go into default than securities or instruments of other issuers. Securities or instruments of financially troubled issuers and operationally troubled issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities or instruments of companies not experiencing financial difficulties. Investment, directly or indirectly in the financially and/or operationally troubled issuers involves a high degree of credit and market risk. These difficulties may never be overcome and may cause borrowers to become subject to bankruptcy or other similar administrative proceedings. There is a possibility that the Fund may incur substantial or total losses on its investments and in certain circumstances, subject the Fund to certain additional potential liabilities that may exceed the value of the Fund’s original investment therein.
32 |
Risks of Certain Non-U.S. Investments. The Fund expects to invest a portion of its aggregate commitments outside of the United States. Non-U.S. securities or instruments involve certain factors not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities or instruments, including risks relating to (i) currency exchange matters, including fluctuations in the rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and the various non-U.S. currencies in which the Fund’s non-U.S. investments are denominated, and costs associated with conversion of investment principal and income from one currency into another; (ii) differences in conventions relating to documentation, settlement, corporate actions, stakeholder rights and other matters; (iii) differences between the U.S. and non-U.S. securities markets, including higher rates of inflations, higher transaction costs and potential price volatility in, and relative illiquidity of, some non-U.S. securities markets; (iv) the absence of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and disclosure requirements and less governmental supervision and regulation in some countries; (v) certain economic, social and political risks, including potential exchange control regulations and restrictions on non-U.S. investment and repatriation of capital, the risks of political, economic or social instability, including the risk of sovereign defaults, and the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation and adverse economic and political development; (vi) the possible imposition of non-U.S. taxes on income and gains recognized with respect to such securities or instruments; (vii) differing, and potentially less well developed or well-tested laws regarding creditor’s rights (including the rights of secured parties), corporate governance, fiduciary duties and the protection of investors; (viii) difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations; (ix) differences in the legal and regulatory environment or enhanced legal and regulatory compliance; (x) reliance on a more limited number of commodity inputs, service providers and/or distribution mechanisms; (xi) political hostility to investments by foreign or private investment fund investors; and (xii) less publicly available information.
In addition, the Fund’s investments in the debt of issuers located in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions may be adversely affected as a result of the ownership or control of an equity stake in such issuers by the Advisers and/or their affiliates. For example, in certain circumstances, the Fund could be subject to German “equity substitution rules” (similar to equitable subordination in the United States) if an issuer in which the Fund holds a debt investment and in which the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser and/or its affiliates holds an equity investment was to become insolvent. In such case, among other things, (i) the Fund may not be able to enforce its rights with respect to collateral, if any, (ii) the debt held by the Fund may be subordinated and (iii) the receiver may be entitled to reclaim amounts paid to the Fund within one year of the filing for commencement of insolvency proceedings or thereafter. The laws of other non-U.S. jurisdictions in which the Fund may seek to invest may have rules similar to Germany’s “equity substitution rules” discussed above, and the consequences to the Fund with respect to such rules may be more or less severe. Moreover, additional laws and regulations in non-U.S. jurisdictions in which the Fund may invest may affect the Fund’s investments in such jurisdictions in a manner that differs adversely from the results that would occur under U.S. laws and regulations applied to similar facts.
Additionally, the Fund may be less influential than other market participants in jurisdictions where it or the Advisers do not have a significant presence. The Fund may be subject to additional risks, which include possible adverse political and economic development, possible seizure or nationalization of non-U.S. deposits and possible adoption of governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country of the issuer, whether from currency blockage or otherwise. Furthermore, some of the securities may be subject to brokerage taxes levied by governments, which has the effect of increasing the cost of such investment and reducing the realized gain or increasing the realized loss on such securities at the time of sale. While the Advisers intend, where deemed appropriate, to manage the Fund in a manner that will minimize exposure to the foregoing risks (although the Advisers do not in the ordinary course expect to hedge currency risks) and will take these factors into consideration in making investment decisions for the Fund, there can be no assurance that adverse developments with respect to such risks will not adversely affect the assets of the Fund that are held in certain countries.
Foreign Currency Risks. A significant portion of the Fund’s investments (and the income and gains received by the Fund in respect of such investments) may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. However, the books of the Fund will be maintained, and contributions to and distributions from the Fund will generally be made, in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange controls may materially adversely affect the value of the investments and the other assets of the Fund. For example, any significant depreciation in the exchange rate of the Euro, or any other currency in which the Fund makes investments, against the U.S. dollar, could adversely affect the value of dividends or proceeds on investments denominated in the Euro or such other currencies.
33 |
In addition, the Fund will incur costs, which may be significant, in connection with the conversion of various currencies.
Brexit Risk. On June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (the “UK”) held a referendum on whether to remain a member state of the EU, in which voters favored the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (the “EU”). At this time, it is difficult to predict precisely how the UK’s withdrawal from the EU will be implemented and what the economic, tax, fiscal, legal, regulatory and other implications will be for the private investment funds industry and the broader European and global financial and real estate markets generally and for the Fund and its investments specifically. Under the process for withdrawing from the EU contemplated in the Treaty on European Union, the UK will remain a member state until a withdrawal agreement is entered into or, if later (and no extension is agreed), two years following the submission of a formal notification of the UK’s intention to withdraw from the EU. It may take longer than two years before the terms of a withdrawal agreement are negotiated and known. As a consequence it is likely that the UK will remain a member state subject to EU law with privileges to provide services under the single market directives through at least until 2018. However, given the size and importance of the UK’s economy, uncertainty or unpredictability about its legal, political and/or economic relationships with Europe is now, and may continue to be for the foreseeable future (including beyond the date of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU), a source of instability, significant currency fluctuations and/or other adverse effects on international markets, international trade agreements and/or other existing cross-border cooperation arrangements (whether economic, tax, fiscal, legal, regulatory or otherwise). In addition, the UK’s withdrawal from the EU could have a destabilizing effect in which other member states may consider withdrawing from the EU. The decision for any other member state to withdraw from the EU could exacerbate such uncertainty and instability and may present similar and/or additional potential risks and consequences for the Fund, its investments and its ability to fulfill its investment objective.
Use of Leverage: Risk of Borrowing by the Fund. The Advisers expect to cause the Fund to incur permanent, Fund-level leverage, potentially including through bridge, subscription, asset-backed facilities, financing transactions from prime brokers or custodians, short-sales and/or related to the Fund’s hedging activities. Borrowings by the Fund will further diminish returns (or increase losses on capital) to the extent overall returns are less than the Fund’s cost of funds. Such debt exposes the Fund to refinancing, recourse and other risks. As a general matter, the presence of leverage can accelerate losses.
Subject to prevailing market conditions, the Fund may add financial leverage if, immediately after such borrowing, it would have asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) of 300% or more (in the event leverage is obtained solely through debt) or 200% or more (in the event leverage is obtained solely though preferred stock). For example, if the Fund has $100 in Net Assets, it may utilize leverage through obtaining debt of up to $50, resulting in $150 in total assets (or 300% asset coverage). The Fund does not presently intend to obtain leverage through preferred stock. The Fund may use leverage opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease its leverage, or use different types or combinations of leveraging instruments, at any time based on the Fund’s assessment of market conditions and the investment environment.
The 1940 Act generally limits the extent to which the Fund may utilize borrowings and “uncovered” transactions that may give rise to a form of leverage, including reverse repurchase agreements, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options, the leverage incurred in securities lending and other derivative transactions or short selling, together with any other senior securities representing indebtedness, by requiring asset coverage (as defined in the 1940 Act) immediately after any borrowing of 300% or more. To the extent the Fund “covers” its commitment under these transactions, such instrument will not be considered a “senior security” by the Fund and therefore will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings (or, as the case may be, the 200% asset coverage requirement applicable to preferred shares). The Fund will “cover” its applicable positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities to the extent required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time.
Alternatively, the Fund may enter into an offsetting position or own positions covering its obligations with respect to a transaction; otherwise, the transaction will be considered “uncovered.” The Fund may not cover an applicable derivative transaction if it does not need to do so to comply with the foregoing 1940 Act requirements and, in the view of the Advisers, the assets that would have been used to cover could be better used for a different purpose. However, these transactions, even if covered, may represent a form of economic leverage and will create risks. The potential loss on derivative instruments may be substantial relative to the initial investment therein. In addition, these segregation and coverage requirements could result in the Fund maintaining securities positions that it would
34 |
otherwise liquidate, segregating assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restricting portfolio management. Such segregation and cover requirements will not limit or offset losses on related positions.
The Advisers expect that the Fund’s borrowings may ultimately be secured with a security interest in investments.
Incurrence of indebtedness at the level of the Fund (or entity through which it invests) may, among others, have the following consequences to Shareholders, including, but not limited to: (i) greater fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund’s assets; (ii) use of cash flow for debt service, distributions, or other purposes (and prospective investors should specifically note in this regard that, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with one or more credit facilities entered into by the Fund, distributions to Shareholders may be subordinated to payments required in connection with any indebtedness contemplated thereby); (iii) to the extent that Fund revenues are required to meet principal payments, Shareholders may be allocated income (and therefore tax liability) in excess of cash distributed; and (iv) in certain circumstances, the Fund may be required to dispose of investments at a loss or otherwise on unattractive terms in order to service its debt obligations or meet its debt covenants. There can be no assurance that the Fund will have sufficient cash flow to meet its debt service obligations. As a result, the Fund’s exposure to foreclosure and other losses may be increased due to the illiquidity of its investments.
In addition, the Fund may need to refinance its outstanding debt as it matures. There is a risk that the Fund may not be able to refinance existing debt or that the terms of any refinancing may not be as favorable as the terms of the existing loan agreements. If prevailing interest rates or other factors at the time of refinancing result in higher interest rates upon refinancing, then the interest expense relating to that refinanced indebtedness would increase. These risks could adversely affect the Fund’s financial condition, cash flows and the return on its investments.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Fund expects to enter into an asset-backed credit facility. With respect to any asset-backed facility entered into by the Fund (or an affiliate thereof), a decrease in the market value of the Fund’s investments would increase the effective amount of leverage and could result in the possibility of a violation of certain financial covenants pursuant to which the Fund must either repay the borrowed funds to the lender. Liquidation of the Fund’s investments at an inopportune time in order to satisfy such financial covenants could adversely impact the performance of the Fund and could, if the value of its investments had declined significantly, cause the Fund to lose all or a substantial amount of its capital. In the event of a sudden, precipitous drop in the value of the Fund’s assets, the Fund might not be able to dispose of assets quickly enough to pay off its debt resulting in a foreclosure or other total loss of some or all of the pledged assets. Fund-level debt facilities typically include other covenants such as, but not limited to, covenants against the Fund incurring or being in default under other recourse debt, including certain Fund guarantees of asset level debt, which, if triggered could cause adverse consequences to the Fund if it is unable to cure or otherwise mitigate such breach.
Market Risk. The success of the Fund’s activities will be affected by general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, credit defaults, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws (including laws relating to taxation of the Fund’s investments), trade barriers, currency exchange controls, and national and international political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts or security operations).
The turmoil following the 2008 U.S. financial crisis in global financial markets has illustrated that market environments may, at any time, be characterized by uncertainty, volatility and instability. Lending and the global credit markets could again experience substantial volatility, disruption, liquidity shortages and to some extent financial instability. Global financial markets have experienced considerable and prolonged declines in the valuations of equity and debt securities and periodic acute contractions in the availability of credit. There can be no assurances that conditions in the global financial markets will not worsen and/or adversely affect one or more of the Fund’s issuers (including with respect to performing under or refinancing their existing obligations), its access to capital or leverage, its ability to effectively deploy its capital or realize investments on favorable terms or its overall performance.
The Fund’s investment strategy and the availability of opportunities satisfying the Fund’s risk-adjusted return parameters relies in part on observable trends and conditions in the financial markets and in some cases the improvement of such conditions. Trends and historical events do not imply, forecast or predict future events and, in any event, past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. There can be no assurance that the assumptions made or the beliefs and expectations currently held by the Advisers will prove correct and actual events and circumstances may vary significantly.
35 |
Many of the issuers in which the Fund will make investments may be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay the loans made to them during these periods. Therefore, non-performing assets may increase and the value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease during these periods as the Fund is required to record the investments at their current fair value. Adverse economic conditions also may decrease the value of collateral securing some of the Fund’s loans and the value of its equity investments. Economic slowdowns or recessions could lead to financial losses in the Fund’s portfolio and a decrease in revenues, net income and assets. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase the Fund’s and the issuers’ funding costs, limit the Fund’s and the issuers’ access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to the Fund or the issuers. These events could prevent the Fund from increasing investments and harm its operating results.
An issuer’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by the Fund or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, acceleration of the time when the loans are due and foreclosure on its secured assets, which could trigger cross- defaults under other agreements and jeopardize the issuer’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt that the Fund holds. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer. In addition, if one of the issuers were to go bankrupt, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the extent to which the Fund will actually provide significant managerial assistance to that issuer, a bankruptcy court might subordinate all or a portion of the Fund’s claim to that of other creditors.
The prices of financial instruments in which the Fund may invest can be highly volatile. General fluctuations in the market prices of securities may affect the value of the investments held by the Fund. Instability in the securities markets may also increase the risks inherent in the Fund’s investments.
Change of Law Risk. Government counterparties or agencies may have the discretion to change or increase regulation of a portfolio investment’s operations, or implement laws or regulations affecting the portfolio investment’s operations, separate from any contractual rights it may have. A portfolio investment also could be materially and adversely affected as a result of statutory or regulatory changes or judicial or administrative interpretations of existing laws and regulations that impose more comprehensive or stringent requirements on such portfolio company. Governments have considerable discretion in implementing regulations and tax reform, including, for example, the possible imposition or increase of taxes on income earned by a portfolio company or gains recognized by the Fund on its investment in such portfolio company, that could impact a portfolio company’s business as well as the Fund’s return on investment with respect to such portfolio company.
Force Majeure Risk. Issuers may be affected by force majeure events (i.e., events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, including, without limitation, acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease, pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism and labor strikes). Some force majeure events may adversely affect the ability of a party (including an issuer or a counterparty to the Fund or an issuer) to perform its obligations until it is able to remedy the force majeure event. In addition, the cost to an issuer or the Fund of repairing or replacing damaged assets resulting from such force majeure event could be considerable. Certain force majeure events (such as war or an outbreak of an infectious disease) could have a broader negative impact on the world economy and international business activity generally, or in any of the countries in which the Fund may invest specifically. Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including the nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over one or more issuers or its assets, could result in a loss to the Fund, including if its investment in such issuer is canceled, unwound or acquired (which could be without what the Fund considers to be adequate compensation). Any of the foregoing may therefore adversely affect the performance of the Fund and its investments.
Terrorist Activities. Terrorist attacks have caused instability in the world financial markets and may generate global economic instability. The continued threat of terrorism and the impact of military or other action could affect the Fund’s financial results.
Volatility of Commodity Prices. The performance of certain of the Fund’s investments may be substantially dependent upon prevailing prices of electricity, oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, coal and other commodities (such as metals) and the differential between prices of specific commodities that are a primary factor in the profitability of certain conversion activities such as petroleum refining (“crack spread”) and power generation (“spark spread”). Commodity prices have been, and are likely to continue to be, volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to any of the following factors: (i) relatively minor changes in the supply of and demand for electricity or such other commodities;
36 |
(ii) market uncertainty and the condition of various economies (including interest rates, levels of economic activity, the price of securities and the participation by other investors in the financial markets); (iii) political conditions in the United States and other project locations; (iv) the extent of domestic production and importation of oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, coal or metals in certain relevant markets; (v) the foreign supply of oil, natural gas and metals; (vi) the prices of foreign imports; (vii) the level of consumer demand; (viii) the price and availability of alternative electric generation options; (ix) the price of steel and the outlook for steel production; (x) weather conditions; (xi) the competitive position of electricity, ethanol/biodiesel, oil, gas or coal as a source of energy as compared with other energy sources; (xii) the industry-wide or local refining, transportation or processing capacity for natural gas or transmission capacity for electric energy; (xiii) the effect of United States and non-U.S. federal, state and local regulation on the production, transportation and sale of electric energy and other commodities; (xiv) breakthrough technologies (such as improved storage or clean coal technologies) or government subsidies, tax credits or other support that allow alternative fuel generation projects to produce more reliable electric energy or lower the cost of such production compared to natural gas fueled electric generation projects; (xv) with respect to the price of oil, actions of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries; or (xvi) the expected consumption of coking coal in steel production. While the Advisers will endeavor to take into account existing and anticipated future applicable greenhouse gas regulation in its investment decisions, changes in the regulation of greenhouse gases could impact an investment or make future investments undesirable.
Regulatory Approvals. The Fund may invest in portfolio companies believed to have obtained all material United States federal, state, local or non-U.S. approvals, if any, required as of the date thereof to acquire and operate their facilities. In addition, the Fund may be required to obtain the consent or approval of applicable regulatory authorities in order to acquire or hold certain ownership positions in portfolio companies. A portfolio company could be materially and adversely affected as a result of statutory or regulatory changes or judicial or administrative interpretations of existing laws and regulations that impose more comprehensive or stringent requirements on such portfolio company. For example, in the case of oil and gas drilling, handling and transportation, such activities are extensively regulated, and statutory and regulatory requirements may include those imposed by energy, zoning, environmental, health, safety, labor and other regulatory or political authorities. Moreover, additional regulatory approvals, including without limitation, renewals, extensions, transfers, assignments, reissuances or similar actions, may become applicable in the future due to a change in laws and regulations, a change in the companies’ customers or for other reasons. There can be no assurance that a portfolio company will be able to (i) obtain all required regulatory approvals that it does not have at the time of the Fund’s investment or that it may be required to have in the future; (ii) obtain any necessary modifications to existing regulatory approvals; or (iii) maintain required regulatory approvals. Delay in obtaining or failure to obtain and maintain in full force and effect any regulatory approvals, or amendments thereto, or delay or failure to satisfy any regulatory conditions or other applicable requirements could prevent operation of a facility or sales to or from third parties or could result in fines or additional costs to a portfolio company. Regulatory changes in a jurisdiction where a portfolio investment is located may make the continued operation of the portfolio investment infeasible or economically disadvantageous and any expenditures made to date by such portfolio investment may be wholly or partially written off. The locations of the portfolio investments may also be subject to government exercise of eminent domain power or similar events. Any of these changes could significantly increase the regulatory-related compliance and other expenses incurred by the portfolio investments and could significantly reduce or entirely eliminate any potential revenues generated by one or more of the portfolio investments, which could materially and adversely affect returns to the Fund.
Political and Societal Challenges. Energy and energy-related infrastructure projects may be subject to siting requirements. Siting of energy projects is also frequently subject to regulation by applicable state, county and local authorities. For example, proposals to site an energy plant or engage in drilling activities in a particular location may be challenged by a number of parties, including special interest groups based on alleged security concerns, disturbances to natural habitats for wildlife and adverse aesthetic impacts, including the common “not in my backyard” phenomenon. Concerns regarding some of the techniques used in the extraction of shale gas in order to enhance recovery, such as the use of natural gas hydraulic fracturing (also known as “fracking”) may also arise, which may require governmental permits or approvals and which have recently been the subject of heightened environmental concerns and public opposition in some jurisdictions (as more fully described below). The failure of any portfolio investment to receive, renew or maintain any required permits or approvals or any inability to satisfy any requirement of any permits or approvals may result in increased compliance costs, the need for additional capital expenditures or a suspension of project operations.
37 |
Environmental Matters. Environmental laws, regulations and regulatory initiatives play a significant role in the electric power industry and can have a substantial impact on investments in this industry. For example, global initiatives to minimize pollution have played a major role in the increase in demand for natural gas and alternative energy sources, creating numerous new investment opportunities. Conversely, required expenditures for environmental compliance have adversely impacted investment returns in a number of segments of the industry. The electric power industry will continue to face considerable oversight from environmental regulatory authorities and significant influence from non-governmental and special interest groups, and the Advisers will seek to evaluate carefully the expected impact of environmental compliance on all potential investments. The Fund may invest in portfolio companies that are subject to changing and increasingly stringent environmental and health and safety laws, regulations and permit requirements. There can be no guarantee that all costs and risks regarding compliance with environmental laws and regulations can be identified. New and more stringent environmental and health and safety laws, regulations and permit requirements or stricter interpretations of current laws or regulations could impose substantial additional costs on portfolio companies or potential investments. Compliance with such current or future environmental requirements does not ensure that the operations of the portfolio companies will not cause injury to the environment or people under all circumstances or that the portfolio companies will not be required to incur additional unforeseen environmental expenditures. In particular, the oil and gas industry, for example, is subject to environmental hazards, such as oil spills, natural gas leaks and ruptures, discharges of petroleum products and hazardous substances and historic disposal activities. These environmental hazards could expose the Fund’s investments to material liabilities for property damages, personal injuries or other environmental harm, including costs of investigating and remediating contaminated properties. Moreover, failure to comply with any regulatory or legal requirements could have a material adverse effect on a portfolio company, and there can be no assurance that portfolio companies will at all times comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations and permit requirements. Past practices or future operations of portfolio companies could also result in material personal injury or property damage claims. Any noncompliance with these laws and regulations could subject the Fund and its properties to material administrative, civil or criminal penalties or other liabilities. Certain environmental laws and regulations may require that an owner or operator of an asset address prior environmental contamination, which could involve substantial cost. Such laws and regulations often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the release or presence of environmental contamination. The Fund may therefore be exposed to substantial risk of loss as a result of environmental claims against portfolio companies. Community and environmental groups may protest about the development or operation of power generation assets which may induce government action to the detriment of the Fund. Some of the most onerous environmental requirements regulate air emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases; these requirements may particularly affect companies in the energy section, and in particular in its power generation fragment.
Derivatives Risks. Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to individual debt or equity instruments, interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates, commodities, related indexes and other assets. The Fund may, directly or indirectly, use various derivative instruments including, but not limited to, options contracts, futures contracts, forward contracts, options on futures contracts, indexed securities, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and other swap agreements primarily for hedging and risk management purposes. The Fund also may use derivative instruments for investment purposes and/or to approximate or achieve the economic equivalent of an otherwise permitted investment (as if the Fund directly invested in the securities, loans or claims of the subject portfolio company) or if such instruments are related to an otherwise permitted investment. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments involves investment risks and transaction costs to which the Fund would not be subject absent the use of these instruments and, accordingly, may result in losses greater than if they had not been used. The use of derivative instruments may have risks including, among others, leverage risk, volatility risk, duration mismatch risk, correlation risk and counterparty risk. When used for hedging or synthetic investment purposes, an imperfect or variable degree of correlation between price movements of the derivative instrument and the underlying investment sought to be hedged or tracked may prevent the Fund from achieving the intended hedging effect or expose the Fund to the risk of loss. Derivative instruments, especially when traded in large amounts by the Fund or other investors with a concentrated exposure, may not be liquid in all circumstances, so that in volatile markets the Fund may not be able to close out a position without incurring a loss. In addition, daily limits on price fluctuations and speculative position limits on exchanges on which the Fund may conduct its transactions in derivative instruments may prevent prompt liquidation of positions, subjecting the Fund to the potential of greater losses. Exchange-traded derivatives may experience increased settlement risk when trade volumes dramatically increase such that a futures commission merchant or options exchange may not be able to reconcile their positions in the ordinary course. This could cause a delay in calculation
38 |
of the NAV of the Fund and result in losses. Derivative instruments that may be purchased or sold by the Fund may include instruments not traded on an exchange. Derivative instruments not traded on exchanges are also not subject to the same type of government regulation as exchange traded instruments, and many of the protections afforded to participants in a regulated environment may not be available in connection with such transactions. In addition, significant disparities may exist between “bid” and “asked” prices for derivative instruments that are not traded on an exchange. Additionally, when a company defaults or files for protection from creditors (e.g., U.S. chapter 11 proceedings), the use of derivative instruments presents special risks associated with the potential imbalance between the derivatives market and the underlying securities market. In such a situation, physical certificates representing such securities may be required to be delivered to settle trades and the potential shortage of such actual certificates relative to the number of derivative instruments may cause the price of the actual certificated debt securities to rise, which may adversely affect the holder of such derivative instruments. The risk of nonperformance by the counterparty on such an instrument may be greater and the ease with which the Fund can dispose of or enter into closing transactions with respect to such an instrument may be less than in the case of an exchange traded instrument. The stability and liquidity of derivative investments depend in large part on the creditworthiness of the parties to the transactions. If there is a default by the counterparty to such a transaction, the Fund will under most normal circumstances have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. However, exercising such contractual rights may involve delays or costs which could result in a loss to the Fund. Furthermore, there is a risk that any of such counterparties could become insolvent. It should be noted that in purchasing derivative instruments, the Fund typically will not have the right to vote on matters requiring a vote of holders of the underlying investment. Moreover, derivative instruments, and the terms relating to the purchase, sale or financing thereof, are also typically governed by complex legal agreements. As a result, there is a higher risk of dispute over interpretation or enforceability of the agreements. It should also be noted that the regulation of derivatives is evolving in the United States and in other jurisdictions and is expected to increase, which could impact the Fund’s ability to transact in such instruments and the liquidity of such instruments. The Advisers may cause the Fund to take advantage of investment opportunities with respect to derivative instruments that are neither presently contemplated nor currently available, but which may be developed in the future, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and legally permissible. Any such investments may expose the Fund to unique and presently indeterminate risks, the impact of which may not be capable of determination until such instruments are developed and/or the Advisers determine to make such an investment.
Options and Futures Risk. The Fund may utilize options and futures contracts and so-called “synthetic” options or other derivatives written by broker-dealers or other permissible intermediaries. Options transactions may be effected on securities exchanges or in the OTC market. When options are purchased OTC, the Fund’s portfolio bears the risk that the counterparty that wrote the option will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the option contract. Options may also be illiquid and, in such cases, the Fund may have difficulty closing out its position. OTC options also may include options on baskets of specific securities. The Fund will “cover” its options and futures positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities to the extent required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time.
The Fund may purchase call and put options on specific securities, and may write and sell covered or uncovered call and put options for hedging purposes in pursuing its investment objective. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, the underlying security at a stated exercise price, typically at any time prior to the expiration of the option. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell, the underlying security at a stated exercise price, typically at any time prior to the expiration of the option. A covered call option is a call option with respect to which the seller of the option owns the underlying security. The sale of a call option exposes the seller during the term of the option to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security or to possible continued holding of a security that might otherwise have been sold to protect against depreciation in the market price of the security. A covered put option is a put option with respect to which cash or liquid securities have been placed in a segregated account on the books of or with a custodian to fulfill the obligation undertaken. The sale of a put option exposes the seller during the term of the option to a decline in price of the underlying security while depriving the seller of the opportunity to invest the segregated assets. In the sale of a put, losses may be significant and, in the sale of a call, losses can be unlimited.
The Fund may close out a position when writing options by purchasing an option on the same security with the same exercise price and expiration date as the option that it has previously written on the security. In such a case, the Fund
39 |
will realize a profit or loss if the amount paid to purchase an option is less or more than the amount received from the sale of the option.
Purchasing a futures contract creates an obligation to take delivery of the specific type of financial instrument at a specific future time at a specific price for contracts that require physical delivery, or net payment for cash-settled contracts. Engaging in transactions in futures contracts involves risk of loss to the Fund. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. All terms of futures contracts are set forth in the rules of the exchange on which the futures contracts are traded. Many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses. Successful use of futures also is subject to the Advisers’ ability to predict correctly the direction of movements in the relevant market, and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to determine the appropriate correlation between the transaction being hedged and the price movements of the futures contract. Futures contracts may be subject to price swings in daily settlements with exchanges and clearing houses.
Asset Segregation. As an investment company registered with the SEC, the Fund must identify on its books (often referred to as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other SEC or SEC-staff approved or other appropriate measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of derivatives. In the case of swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and other derivatives that do not cash settle, for example, the Fund must identify on its books liquid assets equal to the full notional amount of the instrument while the positions are open, to the extent there is not an offsetting position. However, with respect to certain swaps, futures contracts, options, forward contracts and other derivatives that are required to cash settle, the Fund may identify liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market net obligations (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability) under the instrument, if any, rather than its full notional amount. Instruments that do not cash settle may be treated as cash settled for asset segregation purposes when the Fund has entered into a contractual arrangement with a third-party futures commission merchant or other counterparty to off-set the Fund’s exposure under the contract and, failing that, to assign its delivery obligation under the contract to the counterparty. The Fund reserves the right to modify its asset segregation policies in the future in its discretion, consistent with the 1940 Act and SEC or SEC-staff guidance. By identifying assets equal to only its net obligations under certain instruments, the Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund was required to identify assets equal to the full notional amount of the instrument.
Credit Derivatives. The Fund may engage in trading or investing in credit derivative contracts, which are contracts that transfer price, spread and/or default risks of debt and other instruments from one party to another, both for bona fide hedging of existing long and short positions, but also for independent profit opportunities. Such instruments may include one or more credits. The market for credit derivatives may be relatively illiquid, and there are considerable risks that may make it difficult either to buy or sell the contracts as needed or at reasonable prices. There are also risks with respect to credit derivatives in determining whether an event will trigger payment under the contract and whether such payment will offset the loss or payment due under another instrument. Generally, a credit event means bankruptcy, a failure to pay, the acceleration of an obligation or modified restructuring of a credit obligation or instrument.
The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in these transactions. If the Fund is a buyer of credit protection and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing. Worse still, if a credit event occurs, the Fund, as a buyer, typically will receive full notional value for a reference obligation that may have little or no value. Buyers of credit derivatives carry the risk of non-performance by the seller due to an inability to pay.
As a seller of credit protection, the Fund would typically receive a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, which typically is between one month and five years, provided that no credit event occurs. If a credit event occurs, the seller may pay the buyer the full notional value of the reference obligations. Where the Fund is the seller of a credit default swap, it will generally earmark or segregate cash or liquid assets in an amount equal to the full notional value of the credit default swap to cover any potential obligations thereunder. Sellers of credit derivatives carry the inherent price, spread and default risks of the underlying instruments.
40 |
Credit default swaps involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly. In addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to liquidity risk and credit risk. A buyer of credit protection also may lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur. If a credit event were to occur, the value of the reference obligation received by the seller, coupled with the periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund. Further, in certain circumstances, the buyer can receive the notional value of a credit default swap only by delivering a physical security to the seller, and is at risk if such deliverable security is unavailable or illiquid. Such a delivery “crunch” is a distinct risk of these investments.
The credit derivatives market is a rapidly evolving market. As a result, different participants in the credit derivatives markets may have different practices or interpretations with respect to applicable terms and definitions, and ambiguities concerning such terms or definitions, may be interpreted or resolved in ways that are adverse to the Fund. Additionally, there may be circumstances and market conditions (including the possibility of a large number of buyers of credit default swaps being required to deliver the same physical security in the same time frame) that have not yet been experienced that could have adverse effects on the Fund’s investments.
The regulation of derivatives in the United States and other countries is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to ongoing modification by governmental and judicial action. Accordingly, the impact of this evolving regulatory regime on the Fund is difficult to predict, but it could be substantial and adverse.
Counterparty Risk. The Fund is exposed to the risk that third parties that may owe the Fund or its issuers money, securities or other assets will not perform their obligations. These parties include trading counterparties, clearing agents, exchanges, clearing houses, custodians, prime brokers, administrators and other intermediaries. These parties may default on their obligations to the Fund or its issuers, due to bankruptcy, lack of liquidity, operational failure or other reasons. This risk may arise, for example, from entering into swap or other derivative contracts under which counterparties have long-term obligations to make payments to the Fund or its issuers, or executing securities, futures, currency or commodity trades that fail to settle at the required time due to non-delivery by the counterparty or systems failure by clearing agents, exchanges, clearing houses or other intermediaries. Also, any practice of rehypothecation of securities of the Fund or its issuers held by counterparties could result in the loss of such securities upon the bankruptcy, insolvency or failure of such counterparties. In addition, any of the Fund’s cash held with a prime broker, custodian or counterparty may not be segregated from the prime broker’s, custodian’s or counterparty’s own cash, and the Fund therefore may rank as an unsecured creditor in relation thereto. The inability to recover the Fund’s assets could have a material impact on us or on the performance of the Fund. The consolidation and elimination of counterparties resulting from the disruption in the financial markets has generally increased the concentration of counterparty risk and has decreased the number of potential counterparties.
Other Risks Relating to the Fund
No Operating History. The Fund is a new company with no operating history, and as a result, the Fund has minimal financial information on which investors can evaluate an investment in the Fund or prior performance. Investors must rely on the Advisers to implement the Fund’s investment policies, to evaluate all of the Fund’s investment opportunities and to structure the terms of the Fund’s investments rather than evaluating the Fund’s investments in advance. Because investors are not able to thoroughly evaluate the Fund’s investments in advance of acquiring shares, the offering of shares may entail more risk than other types of offerings. This additional risk may hinder investors’ ability to achieve their own personal investment objectives related to portfolio diversification, risk-adjusted investment returns and other objectives. Additionally, the results of any other businesses or companies that have or have had an investment objective which is similar to, or different from, the Fund’s investment objective are not indicative of the results that the Fund may achieve. The Fund expects to have a different investment portfolio from other businesses or companies. Accordingly, the Fund’s results may differ from and are independent of the results obtained by such businesses or companies. Moreover, past performance is no assurance of future returns.
The Fund is subject to all of the business risks and uncertainties associated with any new business, including the risk that the Fund will not achieve its investment objective and that the value of investors’ investments could decline substantially or that investors’ investments could become worthless. The Advisers anticipate, based on the amount of proceeds raised in the initial or subsequent closings that it could take some time to invest substantially all of the capital expected to be raised due to market conditions generally and the time necessary to identify, evaluate, structure, negotiate and close suitable investments in private middle market companies. In order to comply with the RIC
41 |
diversification requirements during the startup period, the Fund may invest proceeds in temporary investments, such as cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less from the time of investment, which may earn yields substantially lower than the interest, dividend or other income that the Fund seeks to receive in respect of suitable portfolio investments. The Fund may not be able to pay any significant distributions during this period, and any such distributions may be substantially lower than the distributions expected to be paid when the Fund’s portfolio is fully invested. The Fund will pay a Management Fee to the Adviser throughout this interim period irrespective of the Fund’s performance. If the Management Fee and Incentive Fee and other expenses exceed the return on the temporary investments, the Fund’s returns could be negatively impacted.
Non-Diversification. Because the Fund is non-diversified, it may be more susceptible to an adverse event affecting a portfolio investment than a diversified portfolio and a decline in the value of that instrument would cause the Fund's overall value to decline to a greater degree.
Adviser Risk. The Adviser has no operating history on which an investor may evaluate its performance. The Adviser utilizes the resources of the Sub-Adviser. There can be no assurance that any such investment professionals will remain employed by the Sub-Adviser or if employed, will remain involved with the Advisers’ performance obligations. The Adviser is a joint venture and conflicts could arise between the parties to the joint venture that could impact the Adviser’s ability to perform its duties.
Senior Management Personnel of the Advisers. Since the Fund has no employees, it depends on the investment expertise, skill and network of business contacts of the Advisers. The Advisers evaluate, negotiate, structure, execute, monitor and service the Fund’s investments. The Fund’s future success depends to a significant extent on the continued service and coordination of the Advisers and their senior management teams. The departure of any members of the Advisers’ respective senior management teams could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
The Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective depends on the Advisers’ ability to identify, analyze, invest in, finance and monitor companies that meet the Fund’s investment criteria. The Advisers’ capabilities in managing the investment process, providing competent, attentive and efficient services to the Fund, and facilitating access to financing on acceptable terms depend on the employment of investment professionals in an adequate number and of adequate sophistication to match the corresponding flow of transactions. To achieve the Fund’s investment objective, the Advisers may need to hire, train, supervise and manage new investment professionals to participate in the Fund’s investment selection and monitoring process. The Advisers may not be able to find investment professionals in a timely manner or at all. Failure to support the Fund’s investment process could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, the Investment Advisory Agreement has termination provisions that allow the parties to terminate the agreements without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by the Advisers upon 60 days’ notice to the Fund. If either agreement is terminated, it may adversely affect the quality of the Fund’s investment opportunities. In addition, in the event such agreements are terminated, it may be difficult for the Fund to replace the Advisers. Furthermore, the termination of either of these agreements may adversely impact the terms of the Fund’s or its subsidiaries’ financing facilities or any financing facility into which the Fund or its subsidiaries may enter in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s business and financial condition.
Key Personnel Risk. The Adviser depends on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of certain Sub-Adviser professionals. The Adviser also depends, to a significant extent, on access to other investment professionals within the Sub-Adviser and the information and deal flow generated by these investment professionals in the course of their investment and portfolio management activities. The Fund’s success depends on the continued service of such personnel. The investment professionals associated with the Advisers are actively involved in other investment activities not concerning the Fund and will not be able to devote all of their time to the Fund’s business and affairs. The departure of any of the senior managers of the Advisers, or of a significant number of the investment professionals or partners of the Advisers’ affiliates, could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. Individuals not currently associated with the Advisers may become associated with the Fund and the performance of the Fund may also depend on the experience and expertise of such individuals. In addition, there is no assurance that the Advisers will remain the Fund’s investment advisers or that the Advisers will continue
42 |
to have access to the investment professionals and partners of its affiliates and the information and deal flow generated by the investment professionals of its affiliates.
Carlyle Relationships. The Fund expects that Carlyle will depend on its existing relationships with private equity sponsors, investment banks and commercial banks, and the Fund expects to rely to a significant extent upon these relationships for purposes of potential investment opportunities. If Carlyle fails to maintain its existing relationships or develop new relationships with other sources or sponsors of investment opportunities, the Fund may not be able to expand its investment portfolio. In addition, individuals with whom Carlyle has relationships are not obligated to provide the Fund with investment opportunities and, therefore, there is no assurance that such relationships will generate investment opportunities for the Fund.
The Adviser’s Incentive Fee Risk. The Investment Advisory Agreement entitles the Adviser to receive incentive compensation on income regardless of any capital losses. In such case, the Fund may be required to pay the Adviser incentive compensation for a fiscal quarter even if there is a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio or if the Fund incurs a net loss for that quarter.
Any Incentive Fee payable by the Fund that relates to its net investment income may be computed and paid on income that may include interest that has been accrued but not yet received. If a portfolio company defaults on a loan that is structured to provide accrued interest, it is possible that accrued interest previously included in the calculation of the Incentive Fee will become uncollectible. The Adviser is not under any obligation to reimburse the Fund for any part of the Incentive Fee it received that was based on accrued income that the Fund never received as a result of a default by an entity on the obligation that resulted in the accrual of such income, and such circumstances would result in the Fund’s paying an Incentive Fee on income it never received.
The Incentive Fee payable by the Fund to the Adviser may create an incentive for it to make investments on the Fund’s behalf that are risky or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement. The way in which the Incentive Fee payable to the Adviser is determined may encourage it to use leverage to increase the return on the Fund’s investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor Shareholders. Such a practice could result in the Fund’s investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be in its best interests, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during cyclical economic downturns.
Shares Not Listed; No Market for Shares. The Fund has been organized as a closed-end management investment company. Closed-end funds differ from open-end management investment companies (commonly known as mutual funds) because investors in a closed-end fund do not have the right to redeem their shares on a daily basis. Unlike most closed-end funds, which typically list their shares on a securities exchange, the Fund does not currently intend to list the Shares for trading on any securities exchange, and the Fund does not expect any secondary market to develop for the Shares in the foreseeable future. Therefore, an investment in the Fund, unlike an investment in a typical closed-end fund, is not a liquid investment.
Closed-end Interval Fund; Liquidity Risks. The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company structured as an “interval fund” and designed primarily for long-term investors. The Fund is not intended to be a typical traded investment. There is no secondary market for the Fund’s Shares and the Fund expects that no secondary market will develop. An investor should not invest in the Fund if the investor needs a liquid investment. Closed-end funds differ from open-end management investment companies, commonly known as mutual funds, in that investors in a closed-end fund do not have the right to redeem their shares on a daily basis at a price based on NAV. Although the Fund, as a fundamental policy, will make quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at NAV, the number of Shares tendered in connection with a repurchase offer may exceed the number of Shares the Fund has offered to repurchase, in which case not all of your Shares tendered in that offer will be repurchased. In connection with any given repurchase offer, it is likely that the Fund may offer to repurchase only the minimum amount of 5% of its outstanding Shares. Hence, you may not be able to sell your Shares when and/or in the amount that you desire.
Competition for Investment Opportunities. The Fund competes for investments with other closed-end funds and investment funds, as well as traditional financial services companies such as commercial banks and other sources of funding. Moreover, alternative investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, have begun to invest in areas in which they have not traditionally invested. As a result of these new entrants, competition for investment opportunities may
43 |
intensify. Many of the Fund’s competitors are substantially larger and may have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than the Fund. For example, some competitors may have a lower cost of capital and access to funding sources that are not available to the Fund. In addition, some of the Fund’s competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments than it has. These characteristics could allow the Fund’s competitors to consider a wider variety of investments, establish more relationships and pay more competitive prices for investments than it is able to do. The Fund may lose investment opportunities if it does not match its competitors’ pricing. If the Fund is forced to match its competitors’ pricing, it may not be able to achieve acceptable returns on its investments or may bear substantial risk of capital loss. A significant increase in the number and/or the size of the Fund’s competitors could force it to accept less attractive investment terms. Furthermore, many of the Fund’s competitors have greater experience operating under, or are not subject to, the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on it as a closed-end fund.
“Best-Efforts” Offering Risk. This offering is being made on a best efforts basis, whereby the Distributor is only required to use its best efforts to sell the Shares and has no firm commitment or obligation to purchase any of the Shares. To the extent that less than the maximum offering amount is subscribed for, the opportunity for the allocation of the Fund’s investments among various issuers and industries may be decreased, and the returns achieved on those investments may be reduced as a result of allocating all of the Fund’s expenses over a smaller capital base.
Inadequate Return Risk. No assurance can be given that the returns on the Fund’s investments will be commensurate with the risk of investment in its common shares.
Inadequate Network of Broker-Dealer Risk. The success of the Fund’s continuous public offering, and correspondingly the Fund’s ability to implement its investment objective and strategies, depends upon the ability of the Distributor to establish, operate and maintain a network of selected broker-dealers to sell the Shares. If the Distributor fails to perform, the Fund may not be able to raise adequate proceeds through the Fund’s continuous public offering to implement the Fund’s investment objective and strategies. If the Fund is unsuccessful in implementing its investment objective and strategies, an investor could lose all or a part of his or her investment in the Fund.
Registration under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act. Registration with the CFTC as a “commodity pool operator” or any change in the Fund’s operations necessary to maintain the Advisers’ ability to rely upon exemption from registration could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to implement its investment program, conduct its operations and/or achieve its objective and subject the Fund to certain additional costs, expenses and administrative burdens.
Repurchase Offers Risks. As described under “Share Repurchase Program,” the Fund is an “interval fund” and, to provide some liquidity to Shareholders, makes quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at NAV, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act. The Fund believes that these repurchase offers are generally beneficial to the Fund’s Shareholders, and generally are funded from available cash or sales of portfolio securities. However, the repurchase of Shares by the Fund decreases the assets of the Fund and, therefore, may have the effect of increasing the Fund’s expense ratio. Repurchase offers and the need to fund repurchase obligations may also affect the ability of the Fund to be fully invested or force the Fund to maintain a higher percentage of its assets in liquid investments, which may harm the Fund’s investment performance. Moreover, diminution in the size of the Fund through repurchases may result in untimely sales of portfolio securities, and may limit the ability of the Fund to participate in new investment opportunities. If the Fund uses leverage, repurchases of Shares may compound the adverse effects of leverage in a declining market. In addition, if the Fund borrows money to finance repurchases, interest on that borrowing will negatively affect Shareholders who do not tender their Shares by increasing Fund expenses and reducing any net investment income. Certain Shareholders may from time to time own or control a significant percentage of the Fund’s Shares. Repurchase requests by these Shareholders of these Shares of the Fund may cause repurchases to be oversubscribed, with the result that Shareholders may only be able to have a portion of their Shares repurchased in connection with any repurchase offer. If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed and the Fund determines not to repurchase additional Shares beyond the repurchase offer amount, or if Shareholders tender an amount of Shares greater than that which the Fund is entitled to purchase, the Fund will repurchase the Shares tendered on a pro rata basis, and Shareholders will have to wait until the next repurchase offer to make another repurchase request. Shareholders will be subject to the risk of NAV fluctuations during that period. Thus, there is also a risk that some Shareholders, in anticipation of proration, may tender more Shares than they wish to have repurchased in a particular quarterly period, thereby increasing the likelihood that proration will occur. The NAV of Shares tendered in a repurchase offer may fluctuate between the date a Shareholder submits a repurchase request and the Repurchase
44 |
Request Deadline, and to the extent there is any delay between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the Repurchase Pricing Date. The NAV on the Repurchase Request Deadline or the Repurchase Pricing Date may be higher or lower than on the date a Shareholder submits a repurchase request. See “Share Repurchase Program.”
Distribution Payment Risk. The Fund cannot assure investors that the Fund will achieve investment results that will allow the Fund to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. All distributions will be paid at the discretion of the Board and may depend on the Fund’s earnings, the Fund’s net investment income, the Fund’s financial condition, maintenance of the Fund’s RIC status, compliance with applicable regulations and such other factors as the Board may deem relevant from time to time.
In the event that the Fund encounters delays in locating suitable investment opportunities, all or a substantial portion of the Fund’s distributions may constitute a return of capital to Shareholders. To the extent that the Fund pays distributions that constitute a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it will lower an investor’s tax basis in his or her Shares. A return of capital generally is a return of an investor’s investment, rather than a return of earnings or gains derived from the Fund’s investment activities, and generally results in a reduction of the tax basis in the Shares. As a result from such reduction in tax basis, Shareholders may be subject to tax in connection with the sale of Fund Shares, even if such Shares are sold at a loss relative to the Shareholder’s original investment.
Risks Associated with the Fund Distribution Policy. The Fund intends to make regular distributions. Currently, in order to maintain a relatively stable level of distributions, the Fund may pay out less than all of its net investment income to the extent consistent with maintaining its ability to be subject to tax as a “regulated investment company” under the Code, pay out undistributed income from prior months, return capital in addition to current period net investment income or borrow money to fund distributions. The distributions for any full or partial calendar year might not be made in equal amounts, and one distribution may be larger than the other. The Fund will make a distribution only if authorized by the Board and declared by the Fund out of assets legally available for these distributions. This distribution policy may, under certain circumstances, have certain adverse consequences to the Fund and its Shareholders because it may result in a return of capital, which would reduce the NAV of the common shares and, over time, potentially increase the Fund’s expense ratio. If a distribution constitutes a return of capital, it means that the Fund is returning to Shareholders a portion of their investment rather than making a distribution that is funded from the Fund’s earned income or other profits. The Fund’s distribution policy may be changed at any time by the Board.
There is a possibility that the Fund may make total distributions during a calendar or taxable year in an amount that exceeds the Fund’s net investment company taxable income and net capital gains for the relevant taxable year. In such situations, if a distribution exceeds the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), a portion of each distribution paid with respect to such taxable year would generally be treated as a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes, thereby reducing the amount of a Shareholder’s tax basis in such Shareholder’s Fund Shares. When a Shareholder sells Fund Shares, the amount, if any, by which the sales price exceeds the Shareholder’s tax basis in Fund Shares may be treated as a gain subject to tax. Because a return of capital reduces a Shareholder’s tax basis in Fund Shares, it generally will increase the amount of such Shareholder’s gain or decrease the amount of such Shareholder’s loss when such Shareholder sells Fund Shares. To the extent that the amount of any return of capital distribution exceeds a Shareholder’s tax basis in Fund Shares, such excess generally will be treated as gain from a sale or exchange of the shares.
If the Fund elects to issue preferred shares and/or notes or other forms of indebtedness, its ability to make distributions to its common Shareholders may be limited by the asset coverage requirements and other limitations imposed by the 1940 Act and the terms of the Fund’s preferred shares, notes or other indebtedness.
Investment Dilution Risk. The Fund’s investors do not have preemptive rights to any Shares the Fund may issue in the future. The Fund’s amended and restated declaration of trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) authorizes it to issue an unlimited number of Shares. The Board may make certain amendments to the Declaration of Trust. After an investor purchases Shares, the Fund may sell additional Shares in the future or issue equity interests in private offerings. To the extent the Fund issues additional equity interests after an investor purchases its Shares, such investor’s percentage ownership interest in the Fund will be diluted.
45 |
Anti-Takeover Risk. The Declaration of Trust and bylaws, as well as certain statutory and regulatory requirements, contain certain provisions that may have the effect of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire it. Subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act, the Board may, without Shareholder action, authorize the issuance of Shares in one or more classes or series, including preferred Shares; and the Board may, without Shareholder action, make certain amendments to the Declaration of Trust. These anti-takeover provisions may inhibit a change of control in circumstances that could give Shareholders the opportunity to realize a premium over the value of the Shares.
Conflicts of Interest Risk. The Advisers are entities in which certain of the Fund’s Trustees, officers and members of the investment committee of the Advisers may have indirect ownership and economic interests. Certain of the Fund’s Trustees and officers and members of the investment committee of the Advisers also serve as officers or principals of other investment managers affiliated with the Advisers that currently, and may in the future, manage investment funds with investment objectives similar to the Fund’s investment objective. In addition, certain of the Fund’s officers and Trustees and the members of the investment committee of the Advisers serve or may serve as officers, trustees or principals of entities that operate in the same or related line of business as the Fund does or of investment funds managed by the Fund’s affiliates. Accordingly, the Fund may not be made aware of and/or given the opportunity to participate in certain investments made by investment funds managed by advisers affiliated with the Advisers. However, the Advisers intend to allocate investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner in accordance with the Advisers’ investment allocation policy, consistent with each fund’s or separate account’s investment objective and strategies and legal and regulatory requirements.
Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk—Allocation of Investment Opportunities. The Advisers have adopted allocation procedures that are intended to treat each fund they advise in a manner that, over a period of time, is fair and equitable. OFI and Carlyle currently provide investment advisory and administration services and may provide in the future similar services to other entities (collectively, “Advised Funds”). Certain existing Advised Funds have, and future Advised Funds may have, investment objectives similar to those of the Fund, and such Advised Funds will invest in asset classes similar to those targeted by the Fund. Certain other existing Advised Funds do not, and future Advised Funds may not, have similar investment objectives, but such funds may from time to time invest in asset classes similar to those targeted by the Fund. The Advisers will endeavor to allocate investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner, and in any event consistent with any fiduciary duties owed to the Fund and other clients and in an effort to avoid favoring one client over another and taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances, including (without limitation): (i) differences with respect to available capital, size of client, and remaining life of a client; (ii) differences with respect to investment objectives or current investment strategies, including regarding: (a) current and total return requirements, (b) emphasizing or limiting exposure to the security or type of security in question, (c) diversification, including industry or company exposure, currency and jurisdiction, or (d) rating agency ratings; (iii) differences in risk profile at the time an opportunity becomes available; (iv) the potential transaction and other costs of allocating an opportunity among various clients; (v) potential conflicts of interest, including whether a client has an existing investment in the security in question or the issuer of such security; (vi) the nature of the security or the transaction, including minimum investment amounts and the source of the opportunity; (vii) current and anticipated market and general economic conditions; (viii) existing positions in a borrower/loan/security; and (ix) prior positions in a borrower/loan/security. Nevertheless, it is possible that the Fund may not be given the opportunity to participate in certain investments made by investment funds managed by investment managers affiliated with the Advisers.
In the event investment opportunities are allocated among the Fund and the other Advised Funds, the Fund may not be able to structure its investment portfolio in the manner desired. Furthermore, the Fund and the other Advised Funds may make investments in securities where the prevailing trading activity may make impossible the receipt of the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold by the Fund and the other Advised Funds. When this occurs, the various prices may be averaged, and the Fund will be charged or credited with the average price. Thus, the effect of the aggregation may operate on some occasions to the disadvantage of the Fund. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Fund may not be charged the same commission or commission equivalent rates in connection with a bunched or aggregated order.
It is likely that the other Advised Funds may make investments in the same or similar securities at different times and on different terms than the Fund. The Fund and the other Advised Funds may make investments at different levels of a borrower’s capital structure or otherwise in different classes of a borrower’s securities, to the extent permitted by applicable law. Such investments may inherently give rise to conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest between or among the various classes of securities that may be held by such entities. Conflicts may also arise because
46 |
portfolio decisions regarding the Fund may benefit the other Advised Funds. For example, the sale of a long position or establishment of a short position by the Fund may impair the price of the same security sold short by (and therefore benefit) one or more Advised Funds, and the purchase of a security or covering of a short position in a security by the Fund may increase the price of the same security held by (and therefore benefit) one or more Advised Funds.
Applicable law, including the 1940 Act, may at times prevent the Fund from being able to participate in investments that it otherwise would participate in, and may require the Fund to dispose of investments at a time when it otherwise would not dispose of such investment, in each case, in order to comply with applicable law.
The 1940 Act contains prohibitions and restrictions relating to certain transactions between registered investment companies and certain affiliates (including any investment advisers or sub-advisers), principal underwriters and certain affiliates of those affiliates or underwriters. Because the Fund is a registered investment company, the Fund is not generally permitted to make loans to companies controlled by the Advisers or other funds managed by the Advisers or their affiliates, including Carlyle. The Fund is also not permitted to make any co-investments with Carlyle or its affiliates (including any fund managed by Carlyle or its affiliates) without exemptive relief from the SEC, subject to certain exceptions. The SEC has granted exemptive relief that permits the Fund and certain present and future funds advised by Carlyle-controlled investment advisers to co-invest in suitable negotiated investments. Co-investments made under the exemptive relief are subject to compliance with the conditions and other requirements contained in the exemptive relief, which could limit the Fund’s ability to participate in a co-investment transaction.
The Advisers, their affiliates and their clients may pursue or enforce rights with respect to a borrower in which the Fund has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Fund. As a result, prices, availability, liquidity and terms of the Fund’s investments may be negatively impacted by the activities of the Advisers and their affiliates or their clients, and transactions for the Fund may be impaired or effected at prices or terms that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case.
The Advisers may have a conflict of interest in deciding whether to cause the Fund to incur leverage or to invest in more speculative investments or financial instruments, thereby potentially increasing the management and incentive fee payable by the Fund and, accordingly, the fees received by the Advisers. Certain other Advised Funds pay the Advisers or their affiliates greater performance-based compensation, which could create an incentive for the Advisers or an affiliate to favor such investment fund or account over the Fund.
Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk—Allocation of Personnel. The Fund’s executive officers and Trustees, and the employees of the Advisers, serve or may serve as officers, directors or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as the Fund or of investment funds or accounts managed by the Advisers or their affiliates. As a result, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of the Fund or its Shareholders. Additionally, certain personnel of the Advisers and their management may face conflicts in their time management and commitments.
Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk—Lack of Information Barriers. By reason of the various activities of the Advisers and their affiliates, the Advisers and such affiliates may acquire confidential or material non-public information or otherwise be restricted from purchasing certain potential Fund investments that otherwise might have been purchased or be restricted from selling certain Fund investments that might otherwise have been sold at the time.
Portfolio Fair Value Risk. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is required to carry its portfolio investments at market value or, if there is no readily available market value, at fair value. There is not a public market for the securities of the privately held companies in which the Fund may invest. Many of the Fund’s investments are not exchange-traded, but are, instead, traded on a privately negotiated OTC secondary market for institutional investors. The Board is responsible for the valuation of the Fund’s portfolio investments, and has delegated day-to-day responsibility for implementing the portfolio valuation process set forth in the Fund’s valuation policy to the Adviser. Valuations of Fund investments are disclosed quarterly in reports publicly filed with the SEC. See “Determination of Net Asset Value.”
Certain factors that may be considered in determining the fair value of the Fund’s investments include dealer quotes for securities traded on the OTC secondary market for institutional investors, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s earnings and its ability to make payments on its indebtedness, the markets in which
47 |
the portfolio company does business, comparison to comparable publicly-traded companies, discounted cash flow 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, determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if an exchange-traded market for these securities existed. Due to this uncertainty, the Fund’s fair value determinations may cause the Fund’s NAV on a given date to materially understate or overstate the value that it may ultimately realize upon the sale of one or more of its investments.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year, as well as within a given year. However, portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed to the Fund and, ultimately, Shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. In addition, a higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Fund.
Cybersecurity Risks. Cybersecurity incidents and cyber-attacks have been occurring globally at a more frequent and severe level and will likely continue to increase in frequency in the future. The Advisers face various security threats on a regular basis, including ongoing cyber security threats to and attacks on its information technology infrastructure that are intended to gain access to its proprietary information, destroy data or disable, degrade or sabotage its systems. These security threats could originate from a wide variety of sources, including unknown third parties outside of the Advisers. Although the Advisers are not currently aware that they have been subject to cyber-attacks or other cyber incidents which, individually or in the aggregate, have materially affected its operations or financial condition, there can be no assurance that the various procedures and controls utilized to mitigate these threats will be sufficient to prevent disruptions to its systems.
The Advisers’ and issuers’ information and technology systems may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches, usage errors by their respective professionals, power outages and catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes.
In addition, the Fund will heavily rely on the Advisers’ and third parties’ financial, accounting, information and other data processing 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 its activities. If any of these systems do not operate properly or are disabled for any reason or if there is any unauthorized disclosure of data, whether as a result of tampering, a breach of its network security systems, a cyber-incident or attack or otherwise, the Fund and/or the Advisers could suffer substantial financial loss, increased costs, a disruption of its businesses, liability to its investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage. In addition, the Advisers operate in a business that is highly dependent on information systems and technology. The information systems and technology that the Advisers rely on may not continue to be able to accommodate their growth, and the cost of maintaining such systems may increase from its current level. Such a failure to accommodate growth, or an increase in costs related to such information systems, could have a material adverse effect on the Fund and/or the Advisers.
A cybersecurity incident could have numerous material adverse effects, including on the operations, liquidity and financial condition of the Fund. Cyber threats and/or incidents could cause financial costs from the theft of Fund assets (including proprietary information and intellectual property) as well as numerous unforeseen costs including, but not limited to: litigation costs, preventative and protective costs, remediation costs and costs associated with reputational damage, any one of which, could be materially adverse to the Fund. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will be able to prevent or mitigate such incidents. If systems and measures to manage risks relating to these types of events, are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time or cease to function properly, the Advisers, the Fund and/or an issuer may have to make a significant investment to fix or replace them. The failure of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans for any reason could cause significant interruptions in the Advisers’, the Fund’s and/or an issuer’s operations and result in a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data, including personal information relating to investors (and the beneficial owners of investors).
In addition, the Fund or the Advisers may not be in a position to verify the risks or reliability of third parties with which the Fund’s and the Advisers’ operations interface with and/or depend on third parties, including the Fund’s administrator and other service providers. The Fund may suffer adverse consequences from actions, errors or failure
48 |
to act by such third parties, and will have obligations, including indemnity obligations, and limited recourse against them.
Risks Relating to Fund’s RIC Status. Although the Fund intends to elect to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, no assurance can be given that the Fund will be able to qualify for and maintain RIC status. If the Fund qualifies as a RIC under the Code, the Fund generally will not be subject to corporate-level federal income taxes on its income and capital gains that are timely distributed (or deemed distributed) as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to its Shareholders. To qualify as a RIC under the Code and to be relieved of federal taxes on income and gains distributed as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the Fund’s shareholders, the Fund must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution requirements. The distribution requirement for a RIC is satisfied if the Fund distributes dividends each tax year for U.S. federal income tax purposes of an amount generally at least equal to 90% of the sum of its net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses, if any, to the Fund’s shareholders.
RIC-Related Risks of Investments Generating Non-Cash Taxable Income. Certain of the Fund’s investments will require the Fund to recognize taxable income in a tax year in excess of the cash generated on those investments during that year. In particular, the Fund expects to invest in loans and other debt instruments that will be treated as having “market discount” and/or original issue discount (“OID”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Because the Fund may be required to recognize income in respect of these investments before, or without receiving, cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirements applicable to RICs and avoiding Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to sell assets, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, raise additional debt or equity capital, make taxable distributions of Shares or debt securities, or reduce new investments, to obtain the cash needed to make these income distributions. If the Fund liquidates assets to raise cash, the Fund may realize additional gain or loss on such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes additional net capital gains from such liquidation transactions, Shareholders, may receive larger capital gain distributions than it or they would in the absence of such transactions.
Instruments that are treated as having OID for U.S. federal income tax purposes may have unreliable valuations because their continuing accruals require judgments about the collectability of the deferred payments and the value of any collateral. Loans that are treated as having OID generally represent a significantly higher credit risk than coupon loans. Accruals on such instruments may create uncertainty about the source of Fund distributions to Shareholders. OID creates the risk of non-refundable cash payments to the Advisers based on accruals that may never be realized. In addition, the deferral of payment-in-kind interest also reduces a loan’s loan-to-value ratio at a compounding rate.
Uncertain Tax Treatment. The Fund may invest a portion of its Net Assets in below investment grade instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund to the extent necessary in connection with the Fund’s intention to distribute sufficient income each tax year to minimize the risk that it becomes subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.
49 |
Trustees
Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust and bylaws, the Fund’s business and affairs are managed under the direction of the Board, which has overall responsibility for monitoring and overseeing the Fund’s management and operations. The Board consists of four members, three of whom are considered Independent Trustees. The Trustees are subject to removal or replacement in accordance with Delaware law and the Declaration of Trust. The Trustees serving on the Board were elected by the organizational Shareholder of the Fund. The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about the Trustees.
The Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, oversees and monitors the Fund’s management and operations. After an initial two-year term, the Board will review on an annual basis the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement to determine, among other things, whether the fees payable under such agreements are reasonable in light of the services provided.
The Adviser and Sub-Adviser
OC Private Capital serves as the Fund’s investment adviser pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement and subject to the authority of, and any policies established by, the Board. CGCIM serves as the Fund’s investment sub-adviser pursuant to the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreement. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Advisers manage the Fund’s investment portfolio, direct purchases and sales of portfolio securities and report thereon to the Fund’s officers and Trustees regularly.
Investment Personnel
Investment sourcing and investment decisions are primarily the responsibility of two portfolio managers, Justin Plouffe and Linda Pace. The Fund is also supported by the PAAC.
Below is biographical information relating to Mr. Plouffe and Ms. Pace and the other voting members of the PAAC:
Justin Plouffe
Justin Plouffe is a Managing Director and the Deputy Chief Investment Officer of Carlyle Global Credit. He is a Director of the Adviser and a voting member of the PAAC. Mr. Plouffe focuses on investing in Carlyle’s structured credit and opportunistic credit strategies, as well as capital formation and management of the overall credit platform. Since joining Carlyle in 2007, he has overseen CLO new issuance, led acquisitions of corporate credit management platforms, served as a portfolio manager for structured credit investments, developed proprietary portfolio management analytics and negotiated a wide variety of financing facilities. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Plouffe was an attorney at Ropes & Gray LLP. He has also served as a clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and as a legislative assistant to a U.S. Congressman. Mr. Plouffe received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was an editor of The Columbia Law Review. He is a CFA charterholder, holds Series 7, 24, 57, 63, 79 and 99 licenses, and is associated with TCG Securities, L.L.C., the SEC-registered broker/dealer affiliate of The Carlyle Group.
Linda Pace
Linda Pace is a Managing Director of Carlyle and the Global Head of Loans & Structured Credit. She is a voting member of the PAAC. Previously, she was responsible for portfolio management for Carlyle High Yield Partners, deploying capital into the U.S. market in cash and synthetic form. Prior to joining Carlyle, Ms. Pace spent 10 years with BHF-Bank AG, where she was co-head of the bank's Syndicated Loan group in New York. She invested in leveraged loans on behalf of the bank's $2 billion on-balance sheet portfolio, as well as their $400 million Collateralized Loan Obligation funds. Prior to that, Ms. Pace worked at Société Générale as a Corporate Credit Analyst. Ms. Pace received her undergraduate degree in French from Douglass College and her M.B.A in finance from New York University.
50 |
Mark Jenkins
Mark Jenkins is a Managing Director of Carlyle and Head of Global Credit. He is a Director of the Adviser and Chairman and a voting member of the PAAC. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Jenkins was a Senior Managing Director at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) where he was responsible for leading CPPIB’s Global Private Investment Group with approximately CAD$56 billion of AUM. He was Chair of the Credit Investment Committee, Chair of the Private Investments Committee and also managed the portfolio value creation group. While at CPPIB, Mr. Jenkins founded CPPIB Credit Investments, which is a multi-strategy platform making direct principal credit investments. He also led CPPIB’s acquisition and oversight of Antares Capital and the subsequent expansion in middle market direct lending. Prior to CPPIB, he was Managing Director, Co-Head of Leveraged Finance Origination and Execution for Barclays Capital in New York. Before Barclays, Mr. Jenkins worked for 11 years at Goldman Sachs & Co. in senior positions within the Fixed Income and Financing Groups in New York.
Mr. Jenkins earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University. He served on the boards of Wilton Re, Teine Energy, Antares Capital and Merchant Capital Solutions.
Kamal Bhatia
Kamal Bhatia is Chairman and CEO of the Adviser and Vice-Chairman and a voting member of the PAAC. He also serves as a team leader for the Investment Products and Solutions group at Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. in New York focused on strategic initiatives and investment partnerships globally. He is responsible for the private capital business at OFI. Prior to joining OFI, Kamal served as Managing Director for Alternatives at TIAA-CREF asset management. Previously, he served as First Vice President for Mellon Institutional Asset Management. He started his career with the Global Corporate and Investment Banking Group at Citigroup.
Kamal holds a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (India) and a M.S. from Washington University in St. Louis as a Sever Fellowship Scholar. He is also a CFA charterholder.
Andrew Peters
Andrew Peters is Director of Alternatives Risk at OFI and is the Chief Risk Officer of the Adviser. As CRO, Andrew oversees risk management of the Fund, is a voting member of the PAAC and is a member of the Valuation Committee. Andrew was a Risk Manager at Avenue Capital since 2010, where he measured and monitored risk in portfolios of less liquid private credit, private equity, high yield bonds and derivatives. Andrew was also responsible for risk oversight of valuation and liquidity management. Prior to joining Avenue, Andrew was Director of Pricing and Analytics at Chatham Financial, which he joined in 2004. Chatham Financial is a leading risk and valuation consultancy and advises private equity and private credit investors. Andrew earned an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities
A control person generally is a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or has the power to exercise control over the management or policies of such company. As the Fund had not commenced operations as of June 1, 2018, and except as noted below, the Fund does not know of any persons who own of record or beneficially 5% or more of any class of the Fund’s shares as of that date.
OFI and TC Group Cayman Investment Holdings, L.P., an affiliate of Carlyle, have provided, or are expected to provide prior to the commencement of operations, the initial investments in the Fund. For so long as OFI or TC Group Cayman Investment Holdings, L.P. has a greater than 25% interest in the Fund, they respectively may be deemed to be a “control person” of the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act.
Administrative Services
Pursuant to the Administration Agreement with State Street, State Street furnishes the Fund with clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services. State Street also performs, or oversees the performance of, certain of the Fund’s required administrative services, which include, among other things, providing assistance in accounting, legal, compliance, operations, being responsible for the financial records that the Fund is required to maintain and preparing reports to
51 |
the Fund’s shareholders and reports filed with the SEC. In addition, State Street generally oversees the payment of the Fund’s expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Fund by others. The Administration Agreement may be terminated by either party without penalty upon 90 days’ written notice to the other party prior to the initial term or renewal date.
Indemnification
The Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement provide that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, the Advisers, their members and their respective officers, managers, partners, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with any of them are entitled to indemnification from the Fund for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising out of or otherwise based upon the performance of any of the Advisers’ duties or obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser or investment sub-adviser of the Fund.
Custodians, Distribution Paying Agent, Transfer Agent, Sub-Transfer Agent and Registrar
State Street Bank and Trust Company, which has its principal office at Channel Center, 1 Iron Street, Boston, MA, 02210, serves as custodian for the Fund.
OFI Global Asset Management, Inc., which has its principal office at 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent.
DST, which has its principal office at 333 West 11th Street, 5th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64105, serves as the Fund’s distribution paying agent, sub-transfer agent and registrar. Under the Sub-Transfer Agency Agreement, the Transfer Agent pays the Sub-Transfer Agent an annual fee in monthly installments, equal to a percentage of the transfer agent fee collected by the Transfer Agent from the Fund, which shall be calculated after any applicable fee waivers. The fee paid to the Sub-Transfer Agent is paid by the Transfer Agent, not by the Fund.
52 |
The Advisers bear all of their own costs incurred in providing investment advisory and sub-advisory services to the Fund. As described below, however, the Fund bears all other expenses incurred in the business and operation of the Fund.
Expenses borne directly by the Fund include:
· | corporate, organizational and offering costs relating to offerings of Shares; |
· | the cost of calculating the NAV of Shares, including the cost of any third-party pricing or valuation services; |
· | the cost of effecting sales and repurchases of Shares and other securities; |
· | the Management Fee and Incentive Fee; |
· | distribution and shareholder servicing fees; |
· | investment related expenses (e.g., expenses that, in the Advisers’ discretion, are related to the investment of the Fund’s assets, whether or not such investments are consummated), including, as applicable, brokerage commissions, borrowing charges on securities sold short, clearing and settlement charges, recordkeeping, interest expense, line of credit fees, dividends on securities sold but not yet purchased, margin fees, investment related travel and lodging expenses and research-related expenses; |
· | professional fees relating to investments, including expenses of consultants, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants and other experts; |
· | transfer agent and custodial fees; |
· | Distributor costs; |
· | fees and expenses associated with marketing efforts; |
· | federal and any state registration or notification fees; |
· | federal, state and local taxes; |
· | fees and expenses of Trustees not also serving in an executive officer capacity for the Fund or the Advisers; |
· | its proportionate share of certain officers’ compensation; |
· | the costs of preparing, printing and mailing reports and other communications, including repurchase offer correspondence or similar materials, to Shareholders; |
· | fidelity bond, Trustees and officers errors and omissions liability insurance and other insurance premiums; |
· | legal expenses (including those expenses associated with preparing the Fund’s public filings, attending and preparing for Board meetings, as applicable, and generally serving as counsel to the Fund or the Independent Trustees of the Fund); |
· | external accounting expenses (including fees and disbursements and expenses related to the annual audit of the Fund and the preparation of the Fund’s tax information); |
· | costs associated with reporting and compliance obligations under the 1940 Act and applicable federal and state securities laws, including compliance with The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
53 |
· | all other expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with administering the Fund’s business, including expenses by State Street for performing administrative services for the Fund, subject to the terms of the Administration Agreement; and |
· | any expenses incurred outside of the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, costs incurred in connection with any claim, litigation, arbitration, mediation, government investigation or similar proceeding and indemnification expenses as provided for in the Fund’s organizational documents. |
Except as otherwise described in this prospectus, the Advisers will be reimbursed by the Fund, as applicable, for any of the above expenses that they pay on behalf of the Fund.
Expense Limitation Agreement
The Adviser and the Fund have entered into the Expense Limitation Agreement under which the Adviser has agreed contractually for a one-year period to waive its Management Fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s initial organizational and offering costs, as well as the Fund’s operating expenses on a monthly basis to the extent that the Fund’s total annualized fund operating expenses (excluding (i) expenses directly related to the costs of making investments, including interest and structuring costs for borrowing and line(s) of credit, taxes, brokerage costs, the Fund’s proportionate share of expenses related to co-investments, litigation and extraordinary expenses, (ii) Incentive Fees and (iii) any distribution and shareholder servicing fees) in respect of the relevant month exceed 2.00% of the Fund’s month-end NAV.
In consideration of the Adviser’s agreement to waive its Management Fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s operating expenses, the Fund has agreed to repay the Adviser in the amount of any waived Management Fees and Fund expenses reimbursed subject to the limitation that a reimbursement will be made only if and to the extent that: (i) it is payable not more than three years from the date on which the applicable waiver or expense payment was made by the Adviser; and (ii) the Adviser Recoupment does not cause the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (on an annualized basis and net of any reimbursements received by the Fund during such fiscal year) during the applicable quarter to exceed the Expense Cap. The Adviser Recoupment will not cause Fund expenses to exceed the Expense Cap either (i) at the time of the waiver or (ii) at the time of recoupment. The Expense Limitation Agreement will remain in effect for a period of one year from the date of the Agreement, unless and until the Board approves its modification or termination. The Expense Limitation Agreement may be terminated only by the Fund’s Board on notice to the Adviser during the initial one-year term; thereafter, it is terminable by either the Adviser or the Fund’s Board in accordance with its terms.
Organization and Offering Costs
Organizational costs include, among other things, the cost of organizing as a Delaware statutory trust, including the cost of legal services and other fees pertaining to the Fund’s organization. These costs are expensed as incurred by the Fund and will be paid by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund.
The Fund’s initial offering costs include, among other things, legal, printing and other expenses pertaining to this offering. Any offering costs paid by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund will be recorded as a Payable for offering costs in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and will be accounted for as a deferred charge until commencement of operations. Thereafter these initial offering costs will be amortized over 12 months on a straight-line basis. Ongoing offering costs will be expensed as incurred.
All organizational and offering costs of the Fund paid by the Adviser shall be subject to reimbursement pursuant to the Expense Limitation Agreement.
54 |
Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, and in consideration of the advisory services provided by the Adviser to the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to a fee consisting of two components—the Management Fee and the Incentive Fee. Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Adviser pays the Sub-Adviser 40% of the Management Fee received by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement.
Management Fee
The Management Fee is calculated and payable monthly in arrears at the annual rate of 1.50% of the month-end value of the Fund’s Net Assets.
Incentive Fee
The Incentive Fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based upon the Fund’s “pre-incentive fee net investment income” for the immediately preceding quarter, and is subject to a hurdle rate, expressed as a rate of return on the Fund’s Net Assets, equal to 1.50% per quarter (or an annualized hurdle rate of 6.00%), subject to a “catch-up” feature. For this purpose, “pre-incentive fee net investment income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income accrued during the calendar quarter, minus the Fund’s operating expenses for the quarter. For purposes of computing the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income, the calculation methodology will look through total return swaps as if the Fund owned the referenced assets directly. As a result, the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income includes Net Interest, which is the difference between (a) the interest income and transaction fees related to the reference assets and (b) all interest and other expenses paid by the Fund to the derivative or swap counterparty. For such purposes, the Fund’s operating expenses will include the Management Fee, Fund administration expenses, and any interest expense and distributions paid on any issued and outstanding preferred Shares, but will exclude the Incentive Fee. For purposes of the Incentive Fee, Net Assets are calculated as of the first business day of the relevant calendar quarter. There is no incentive fee charged on realized or unrealized capital gains.
The calculation of the Incentive Fee for each calendar quarter is as follows:
· | No Incentive Fee is payable to the Adviser if the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income, expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s Net Assets in respect of the relevant calendar quarter, does not exceed the quarterly hurdle rate of 1.50% (6.00% annualized); |
· | 100% of the portion of the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income that exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than or equal to 1.875% (the “catch-up”) is payable to the Adviser if the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income, expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s Net Assets in respect of the relevant calendar quarter, exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than or equal to 1.875% (7.50% annualized). The “catch-up” provision is intended to provide the Adviser with an incentive fee of 20% on all of the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income when the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income reaches 1.875% of Net Assets; and |
· | 20% of the portion of the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income that exceeds the “catch-up” is payable to the Adviser if the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income, expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s Net Assets in respect of the relevant calendar quarter, exceeds 1.875% (7.50% annualized). As a result, once the hurdle rate is reached and the catch-up is achieved, 20% of all the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income thereafter is allocated to the Adviser. |
55 |
The following is a graphical representation of the calculation of the Incentive Fee:
Quarterly Incentive Fee
Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income
(expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s Net Assets)
Percentage of the Fund’s pre-incentive fee net investment income allocated to the Incentive Fee.
These calculations will be appropriately prorated for any period of less than three months.
Example of the Incentive Fee:
Example –Incentive Fee on pre-incentive fee net investment income for each calendar quarter
Scenarios expressed as a percentage of average Net Assets |
Scenario 1 | Scenario 2 | Scenario 3 | Scenario 4 | ||||||||
Pre-incentive fee net investment income | 0.550 | % | 1.750 | % | 2.800 | % | 3.000 | % | ||||
Catch up incentive fee (maximum of 0.375%) | — | (0.250 | )% | (0.375 | )% | (0.375 | )% | |||||
Split incentive fee (20% above 1.875%) | — | — | (0.185 | )% | (0.225 | )% | ||||||
Net Investment income | 0.550 | % | 1.500 | % | 2.2400 | % | 2.400 | % |
Scenario 1 –Incentive Fee on Income
Pre-incentive fee net investment income does not exceed the 1.500% hurdle rate; therefore there is no catch up or split incentive fee on pre-incentive fee net investment income.
Scenario 2 –Incentive Fee on Income
Pre-incentive fee net investment income falls between the 1.500% hurdle rate and the catch up of 1.875%; therefore the incentive fee on pre-incentive fee net investment income is 100% of the pre-incentive fee above the 1.500% hurdle return.
Scenario 3 –Incentive Fee on Income
Pre-incentive fee net investment income exceeds the 1.500% hurdle and the 1.875% catch up provision. Therefore the catch up provision is fully satisfied by the 0.375% of pre-incentive fee net investment income above the 1.500% hurdle rate and there is a 20% incentive fee on pre-incentive fee net investment income above the 1.875% “catch up.” This provides a 0.560% incentive fee, which represents 20% of pre-incentive fee net investment income.
56 |
Scenario 4 –Incentive Fee on Income
Assuming the same facts as scenario 3, and assuming the Fund looks through a total return swap and receives Net Interest associated with the net distributions received from a total return swap for the quarter of 0.20% of average Net Assets, the pre-incentive fee net investment income equals 3.000% and exceeds the 1.500% hurdle and the 1.875% catch up provision. Therefore the catch up provision is fully satisfied by the 0.375% of pre-incentive fee net investment income above the 1.500% hurdle rate and there is a 20% incentive fee on pre-incentive fee net investment income above the 1.875% “catch up.” This provides a 0.600% incentive fee, which represents 20% of pre-incentive fee net investment income.
Approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement
Board approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement was made in accordance with, and on the basis of an evaluation satisfactory to the Board, as required by Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, including consideration of, among other factors, (i) the nature, quality and extent of the services provided by OC Private Capital under the Investment Advisory Agreement; (ii) comparative information with respect to advisory fees and other expenses paid by other comparable investment companies; and (iii) information about the services performed by OC Private Capital and the personnel of OC Private Capital providing such services under the Investment Advisory Agreement. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s semi-annual report on Form N-CSRS for the period ending June 30, 2018, which will be publicly filed with the SEC.
Board approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement was made in accordance with, and on the basis of an evaluation satisfactory to the Board, as required by Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, including consideration of, among other factors, (i) the nature, quality and extent of the services provided by CGCIM under the Sub-Advisory Agreement; (ii) comparative information with respect to advisory fees and other expenses paid by other comparable investment companies; and (iii) information about the services performed by CGCIM and the personnel of CGCIM providing such services under the Sub-Advisory Agreement. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s semi-annual report on Form N-CSRS for the period ending June 30, 2018, which will be publicly filed with the SEC.
57 |
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
In accordance with the procedures adopted by the Board, the NAV per share of the Fund’s outstanding shares of beneficial interests is determined by dividing the value of total assets minus liabilities by the total number of shares outstanding. The Fund’s NAV per share shall be calculated within 48 hours prior to each sale of shares.
The Adviser conducts the valuation of the Fund’s assets, pursuant to which net asset value shall be determined, at all times consistent with US GAAP and the 1940 Act. The Board, with the assistance of the Audit Committee, determines the fair value of the Fund’s assets on at least a quarterly basis, in accordance with the terms of FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement (“ASC 820”). The valuation procedures are set forth in more detail below.
ASC 820 defines fair value as “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.” Fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement. For some assets and liabilities, observable market transactions or market information might be available. For other assets and liabilities, observable market transactions and market information might not be available. However, the objective of a fair value measurement in both cases is the same—to estimate the price at which an orderly transaction to sell the asset or transfer the liability would take place between market participants at the measurement date under current market conditions (that is, an exit price at the measurement date from the perspective of a market participant that holds the asset or owes the liability).
ASC 820 establishes a hierarchal disclosure framework which ranks the observability of inputs used in measuring financial instruments at fair value. The observability of inputs is impacted by a number of factors, including the type of financial instrument, the characteristic specific to the financial instrument and the state of the marketplace, including the existence and transparency of transactions between market participants. Financial instruments with readily available quoted prices, or for which fair value can be measured from quoted prices in active markets, will generally have a higher degree of market price observability and a lesser degree of judgment applied in determining fair value.
The three-level hierarchy for fair value measurement is defined as follows:
Level 1 — inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices available in active markets for identical investments as of the reporting date. The types of financial instruments included in Level 1 generally include unrestricted securities, including equities and derivatives, listed in active markets. The Adviser does not adjust the quoted price for these investments, even in situations where we hold a large position and a sale could reasonably impact the quoted price.
Level 2 — inputs to the valuation methodology are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date and are those other than quoted prices in active markets. The type of financial instruments in this category generally includes less liquid and restricted securities listed in active markets, securities traded in other than active markets, government and agency securities, and certain over-the-counter derivatives where the fair value is based on observable inputs.
Level 3 — inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to overall fair value measurement. The inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation. Financial instruments that are included in this category generally include investments in privately held entities, non-investment grade residual interests in securitizations, collateralized loan obligations, and certain over-the-counter derivatives where the fair value is based on unobservable inputs.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an investment’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the overall fair value measurement. The Adviser’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the investment.
The Adviser values securities/instruments traded in active markets on the measurement date by multiplying the closing price of such traded securities/instruments by the quantity of shares or amount of the instrument held. The Adviser
58 |
values liquid securities/instruments that are not traded in an active market using a mid-price determined by an approved independent pricing vendor.
The Fund expects that it will hold a high proportion of Level 3 investments relative to its total investments, which is directly related to the Fund’s investment philosophy and target portfolio. The Board has engaged independent valuation firms to fair value the Fund’s Level 3 investments on at least a monthly basis. A retained independent valuation firm will have expertise in complex valuations associated with alternative investments and utilize a variety of techniques to calculate a security’s/instrument’s valuation. The valuation approach may vary by security/instrument but may include comparable public market valuations, comparable transaction valuations and discounted cash flow analyses. All factors that might materially impact the value of an investment (e.g., operating results, financial condition, achievement of milestones, economic and/or market events and recent sales prices) may be considered.
If the Adviser reasonably believes a valuation from an independent valuation firm or pricing vendor is inaccurate or unreliable, the Adviser’s Valuation Committee will consider an “override” of the particular valuation. The Valuation Committee will consider all available information at its disposal prior to making a valuation determination. The Valuation Committee is made up of individuals affiliated with OFI.
As an interval fund, the Fund is required to calculate a weekly NAV. However, because the Fund’s Shares are offered on a monthly basis only, the Fund intends to publicly report on its website its month-end NAV per Share. For information on the Fund’s weekly NAV, please call the Fund toll-free at 833-677-3646. The Board is responsible for the determination, in good faith, of the fair value of the Fund’s portfolio investments. The Sub-Adviser shall provide assistance to the Adviser and the Board with respect to the valuation of the Fund’s assets; the Adviser and the Board are responsible for the accuracy, reliability or completeness of any market or fair market valuation determinations made with respect to the Fund’s assets.
59 |
The Fund’s executive officers and Trustees, and the employees of the Advisers, serve or may serve as officers, trustees or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as the Fund or of other OFI- or Carlyle-advised funds (“Other Managed Funds”). As a result, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of the Fund or its Shareholders. Moreover, notwithstanding the difference in principal investment objectives between the Fund and the Other Managed Funds, such other funds, including potential new pooled investment vehicles or managed accounts not yet established (whether managed or sponsored by affiliates or the Advisers), have, and may from time to time have, overlapping investment objectives with the Fund and, accordingly, invest in, whether principally or secondarily, asset classes similar to those targeted by the Fund. To the extent the Other Managed Funds have overlapping investment objectives, the scope of opportunities otherwise available to the Fund may be adversely affected and/or reduced. Additionally, certain employees of the Advisers and their management may face conflicts in their time management and commitments as well as in the allocation of investment opportunities to Other Managed Funds.
The results of the Fund’s investment activities may differ significantly from the results achieved by the Other Managed Funds. It is possible that one or more of such funds will achieve investment results that are substantially more or less favorable than the results achieved by the Fund. Moreover, it is possible that the Fund will sustain losses during periods in which one or more affiliates achieve significant profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result is also possible. The investment activities of one or more Adviser affiliates for their proprietary accounts and accounts under their management may also limit the investment opportunities for the Fund in certain markets.
The Advisers, their affiliates and their clients may pursue or enforce rights with respect to an issuer in which the Fund has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Fund. As a result, prices, availability, liquidity and terms of the Fund’s investments may be negatively impacted by the activities of the Advisers and their affiliates or their clients, and transactions for the Fund may be impaired or effected at prices or terms that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case.
The Advisers may enter into transactions and invest in securities, instruments and currencies on behalf of the Fund in which customers of its affiliates, to the extent permitted by applicable law, serve as the counterparty, principal or issuer. In such cases, such party’s interests in the transaction could be adverse to the interests of the Fund, and such party may have no incentive to assure that the Fund obtains the best possible prices or terms in connection with the transaction. In addition, the purchase, holding and sale of such investments by the Fund may enhance the profitability of the Advisers or their affiliates. One or more affiliates may also create, write or issue derivatives for their customers, the underlying securities, currencies or instruments of which may be those in which the Fund invests or which may be based on the performance of the Fund. The Fund may, subject to applicable law, purchase investments that are the subject of an underwriting or other distribution by one or more Adviser affiliates and may also enter into transactions with other clients of an affiliate where such other clients have interests adverse to those of the Fund.
The Fund will be required to establish business relationships with its counterparties based on the Fund’s own credit standing. Neither the Advisers nor any of their affiliates will have any obligation to allow its credit to be used in connection with the Fund’s establishment of its business relationships, nor is it expected that the Fund’s counterparties will rely on the credit of the Advisers or their affiliates in evaluating the Fund’s creditworthiness.
The Advisers are paid a fee based on a percentage of the Fund’s Net Assets. Certain of the Other Managed Funds pay the Advisers or their affiliates different performance-based compensation, which could create an incentive for the Advisers or affiliate to favor such investment fund or account over the Fund.
By reason of the various activities of the Advisers and their affiliates, the Advisers and such affiliates may acquire confidential or material non-public information or otherwise be restricted from purchasing certain potential Fund investments that otherwise might have been purchased or be restricted from selling certain Fund investments that might otherwise have been sold at the time.
The Advisers have adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions made on behalf of advisory clients, including the Fund, and to help ensure that such decisions are
60 |
made in accordance with its fiduciary obligations to clients. Nevertheless, notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions may have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients, provided that the Advisers believe such voting decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations.
61 |
The Fund does not currently intend to list its Shares on any securities exchange and does not expect any secondary market for them to develop in the foreseeable future. Therefore, Shareholders should expect that they will be unable to sell their Shares for an indefinite time or at a desired price. No Shareholder will have the right to require the Fund to repurchase such Shareholder’s Shares or any portion thereof. Shareholders may not transfer their investment from the Fund to any other registered investment company. Because no public market exists for the Shares, and none is expected to develop in the foreseeable future, Shareholders will not be able to liquidate their investment, other than through the Fund’s share repurchase program, or, in limited circumstances, as a result of transfers of Shares to other investors.
To provide Shareholders with limited liquidity, the Fund is structured as an “interval fund” and intends to conduct quarterly offers to repurchase between 5% and 25% of its outstanding Shares at NAV, pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements (as discussed below). In connection with any given repurchase offer, it is likely that the Fund may offer to repurchase only the minimum amount of 5% of its outstanding Shares. Quarterly repurchases will occur in the months of March, June, September and December. The offer to purchase Shares is a fundamental policy that may not be changed without the vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Repurchase Offer Notice will be sent to Shareholders at least 21 calendar days before the Repurchase Request Deadline; however, the Fund will seek to provide such written notification earlier but no more than 42 calendar days before the Repurchase Request Deadline. The NAV will be calculated no later than the Repurchase Pricing Date, which will be no later than 14 calendar days after the Repurchase Request Deadline or the next business day if the fourteenth day is not a business day. The Fund will distribute payment to Shareholders within seven calendar days after the Repurchase Pricing Date. Thus, the Shares are appropriate only as a long-term investment. In addition, the Fund’s repurchase offers may subject the Fund and Shareholders to special risks.
Determination of Repurchase Offer Amount
The Board, in its sole discretion, will determine the number of Shares that the Fund will offer to repurchase (the “Repurchase Offer Amount”) for a given Repurchase Request Deadline. The Repurchase Offer Amount, however, will be between 5% and 25% of the total number of Shares outstanding on the Repurchase Request Deadline.
If Shareholders tender for repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount for a given repurchase offer, the Fund will repurchase the Shares on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund may accept all Shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders who own less than one hundred Shares and who tender all of their Shares, before prorating other amounts tendered.
Notice to Shareholders
No less than 21 days and no more than 42 days before each Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund shall send to each Shareholder of record and to each beneficial owner of the Shares that are the subject of the repurchase offer a notification (“Shareholder Notification”). The Shareholder Notification will contain information Shareholders should consider in deciding whether to tender their Shares for repurchase. The notice also will include detailed instructions on how to tender shares for repurchase, state the Repurchase Offer Amount and identify the dates of the Repurchase Request Deadline, the scheduled Repurchase Pricing Date, and the date the repurchase proceeds are scheduled for payment. The notice also will set forth the NAV that has been computed no more than seven days before the date of notification, and how Shareholders may ascertain the NAV after the notification date.
Repurchase Price
The repurchase price of the Shares will be the Fund’s NAV as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the Repurchase Pricing Date. You may call 833-677-3646 to learn the NAV. The notice of the repurchase offer also will provide information concerning the NAV, such as the NAV as of a recent date or a sampling of recent NAVs, and a toll-free number for information regarding the repurchase offer.
62 |
Repurchase Amounts and Payment of Proceeds
Shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders prior to any Repurchase Request Deadline will be repurchased subject to the aggregate Repurchase Offer Amount established for that Repurchase Request Deadline. Payment pursuant to the repurchase offer will be made by check to the Shareholder’s address of record, or credited directly to a predetermined bank account on the Purchase Payment Date, which will be no more than seven calendar days after the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Board may establish other policies for repurchases of shares that are consistent with the 1940 Act, regulations thereunder and other pertinent laws.
If Shareholders tender for repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount for a given repurchase offer, the Fund may, but is not required to, repurchase an additional amount of Shares not to exceed 2% of the outstanding shares of the Fund on the Repurchase Request Deadline. If the Fund determines not to repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount, or if Shareholders tender shares in an amount exceeding the Repurchase Offer Amount plus 2% of the outstanding Shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund will repurchase the Shares on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund may accept all Shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders who own less than one hundred Shares and who tender all of their Shares, before prorating other amounts tendered.
63 |
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE
The following description is based on relevant portions of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, as amended, and on the Declaration of Trust and bylaws. This summary is not intended to be complete. Please refer to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, as amended, and the Declaration of Trust and bylaws, copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, for a more detailed description of the provisions summarized below.
Shares of Beneficial Interest
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Fund’s issuance of an unlimited number of Shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share. There is currently no market for Shares and the Fund does not expect that a market for Shares will develop in the foreseeable future. Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust and as permitted by Delaware law, Shareholders are entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations organized for profit under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”) and therefore generally will not be personally liable for the Fund’s debts or obligations.
Shares
Under the terms of the Declaration of Trust, all Shares, when consideration for Shares is received by the Fund, will be fully paid and nonassessable. Distributions may be paid to Shareholders if, as and when authorized and declared by the Board. Shares will have no preference, preemptive, appraisal, conversion, exchange or redemption rights, and will be freely transferable, except where their transfer is restricted by law or contract. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Board shall have the power to repurchase or redeem Shares. In the event of the Fund’s dissolution, after the Fund pays or adequately provides for the payment of all claims and obligations of the Fund, and upon the receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements deemed necessary by the Board, each Share will be entitled to receive, according to its respective rights, a pro rata portion of the Fund’s assets available for distribution, subject to any preferential rights of holders of the Fund’s outstanding preferred Shares, if any. Each whole Share will be entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share will be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. Shareholders shall be entitled to vote on all matters on which a vote of Shareholders is required by the 1940 Act, the Declaration of Trust or a resolution of the Board. There will be no cumulative voting in the election or removal of Trustees. Under the Declaration of Trust, the Fund is not required to hold annual meetings of Shareholders. The Fund only expects to hold Shareholder meetings to the extent required by the 1940 Act or pursuant to special meetings called by the Board or a majority of Shareholders.
Preferred Shares and Other Securities
The Declaration of Trust provides that the Board may, subject to the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions and the requirements of the 1940 Act, authorize and cause the Fund to issue securities of the Fund other than Shares (including preferred Shares, debt securities or other senior securities), by action of the Board without the approval of Shareholders. The Board may determine the terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions of such securities as the Board sees fit.
Preferred Shares could be issued with rights and preferences that would adversely affect Shareholders. Preferred Shares could also be used as an anti-takeover device. Every issuance of preferred Shares will be required to comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (i) immediately after issuance of preferred Shares and before any distribution is made with respect to the Shares and before any purchase of Shares is made, the aggregate involuntary liquidation preference of such preferred Shares together with the aggregate involuntary liquidation preference or aggregate value of all other senior securities must not exceed an amount equal to 50% of the Fund’s total assets after deducting the amount of such distribution or purchase price, as the case may be; and (ii) the holders of preferred Shares, if any are issued, must be entitled as a class to elect two Trustees at all times and to elect a majority of the Trustees if distributions on such preferred Shares are in arrears by two years or more. Certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred Shares.
64 |
Limitation on Liability of Trustees and Officers; Indemnification and Advance of Expenses
Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, Trustees and officers of the Fund will not be subject in such capacity to any personal liability to the Fund or Shareholders, unless the liability arises from bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard for the Trustee’s or officer’s duty.
Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, the Fund will indemnify and hold harmless any current or former Trustee or officer of the Fund against any liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees relating to the defense or disposition of any action, suit or proceeding with which such person is involved or threatened), while and with respect to acting in the capacity of a Trustee or officer of the Fund, except with respect to matters in which such person did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interest of the Fund, or in the case of a criminal proceeding, matters for which such person had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Fund will not indemnify any Trustee or officer for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties of his or her position. The Fund will provide indemnification to Trustees and officers prior to a final determination regarding entitlement to indemnification as described in the Declaration of Trust.
The Fund has entered into the Investment Advisory Agreement with OC Private Capital. The Adviser, with respect to the Fund, has entered into the Sub-Advisory Agreement with CGCIM. The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement provide that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard for its obligations and duties thereunder, the Advisers are not liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss the Fund suffers.
Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, the Fund will advance the expenses of defending any action for which indemnification is sought if the Fund receives a written undertaking by the indemnitee which provides that the indemnitee will reimburse the Fund unless it is subsequently determined that the indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification.
Number of Trustees; Appointment of Trustees; Vacancies; Removal
The Declaration of Trust provides that the number of Trustees shall be no less than one and no more than 15, as determined in writing by a majority of the Trustees then in office. As set forth in the Declaration of Trust, a Trustee’s term of office shall continue until his or her death, resignation or removal. Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act, individuals may be appointed by the Trustees at any time to fill vacancies on the Board by the appointment of such persons by a majority of the Trustees then in office. Each Trustee shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been appointed pursuant to the Declaration of Trust. To the extent that the 1940 Act requires that Trustees be elected by Shareholders, any such Trustees will be elected by a plurality of all Shares voted at a meeting of Shareholders at which a quorum is present.
The Declaration of Trust provides that any Trustee may be removed (provided that after the removal the aggregate number of Trustees is not less than the minimum required by the Declaration of Trust) from office with cause only by action taken by a majority of the remaining Trustees (or, in the case of an Independent Trustee, only by action taken by a majority of the remaining Independent Trustees).
Action by Shareholders
The Declaration of Trust provides that Shareholder action can be taken only at a meeting of Shareholders or by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting. Subject to the 1940 Act, the Declaration of Trust or a resolution of the Board specifying a greater or lesser vote requirement, the affirmative vote of a majority of Shares present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the Shareholders with respect to any matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders.
Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Bylaws
Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act, pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, the Board may make certain amendments to the Declaration of Trust without any vote of Shareholders. Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust and bylaws, the Board has the exclusive power to amend or repeal the bylaws or adopt new bylaws at any time.
65 |
No Appraisal Rights
In certain extraordinary transactions, some jurisdictions provide the right to dissenting Shareholders to demand and receive the fair value of their Shares, subject to certain procedures and requirements set forth in such statute. Those rights are commonly referred to as appraisal rights. The Declaration of Trust provides that Shares shall not entitle Shareholders to appraisal rights.
Conflict with Applicable Laws and Regulations
The Declaration of Trust provides that if and to the extent that any provision of the Declaration of Trust conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, the provisions under the Code applicable to the Fund as a RIC or other applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust; provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or affect the validity of any action taken or omitted to be taken prior to such determination.
66 |
The following is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the Fund and an investment in the Fund. The discussion below provides general tax information related to an investment in the Fund, but does not purport to be a complete description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Fund and does not address any state, local, non-U.S. or other tax consequences. It is based on the Code and U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder and administrative pronouncements, all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant in light of a Shareholder’s particular circumstances, including (but not limited to) alternative minimum tax consequences and tax consequences applicable to Shareholders subject to special tax rules, such as certain financial institutions; dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting; persons holding Shares as part of a hedging transaction, wash sale, conversion transaction or integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to Shares; entities classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes; insurance companies; U.S. Shareholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; or tax-exempt entities, including “individual retirement accounts” or “Roth IRAs.” Unless otherwise noted, the following discussion applies only to a Shareholder that holds Shares as a capital asset and is a U.S. Shareholder. A “U.S. Shareholder” generally is a beneficial owner of Shares who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
· | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
· | a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
· | an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
· | a trust if it (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If a partnership (including an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A prospective Shareholder that is a partner in a partnership holding Shares should consult the Shareholder’s personal advisors with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares.
The discussion set forth herein does not constitute tax advice. Tax laws are complex and often change, and Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
Taxation of the Fund
The Fund intends to elect to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and intends to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes as dividends to Shareholders. To qualify as a RIC in any tax year, the Fund must, among other things, satisfy both a source of income test and asset diversification tests. The Fund will qualify as a RIC if (i) at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for such tax year consists of dividends; interest; payments with respect to certain securities loans; gains from the sale or other disposition of shares, securities or foreign currencies; other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such shares, securities or currencies; and net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly-traded partnerships” (such income, “Qualifying RIC Income”); and (ii) the Fund’s holdings are diversified so that, at the end of each quarter of such tax year, (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash equivalents, securities of other RICs, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested (x) in securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or of two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (y) in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly-
67 |
traded partnerships.” The Fund’s share of income derived from a partnership other than a “qualified publicly-traded partnership” will be treated as Qualifying RIC Income only to the extent that such income would have constituted Qualifying RIC Income if derived directly by the Fund. A “qualified publicly-traded partnership” is generally defined as an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes if (1) interests in such entity are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof and (2) less than 90% of its gross income for the relevant tax year consists of Qualifying RIC Income. The Code provides that the Treasury Department may by regulation exclude from Qualifying RIC Income foreign currency gains that are not directly related to the RIC’s principal business of investing in shares or securities (or options and futures with respect to shares or securities). The Fund anticipates that, in general, its foreign currency gains will be directly related to its principal business of investing in shares and securities.
In addition, to maintain RIC tax treatment, the Fund must distribute on a timely basis with respect to each tax year dividends of an amount at least equal to 90% of the sum of its “investment company taxable income” and its net tax-exempt interest income, determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid, to Shareholders (the “90% distribution requirement”). If the Fund qualifies as a RIC and satisfies the 90% distribution requirement, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its “investment company taxable income” and net capital gains (that is, the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that it distributes as dividends to Shareholders (including amounts that are reinvested pursuant to the DRP). In general, a RIC’s “investment company taxable income” for any tax year is its taxable income, determined without regard to net capital gains and with certain other adjustments. The Fund intends to distribute all or substantially all of its “investment company taxable income,” net tax-exempt interest income (if any) and net capital gains on an annual basis. Any taxable income, including any net capital gains that the Fund does not distribute in a timely manner, will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates.
If the Fund retains any net capital gains for reinvestment, it may elect to treat such capital gains as having been distributed to Shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election, each Shareholder will be required to report its share of such undistributed net capital gains attributed to the Fund as long-term capital gain and will be entitled to claim its share of the U.S. federal income taxes paid by the Fund on such undistributed net capital gains as a credit against its own U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and to claim a refund on a properly-filed U.S. federal income tax return to the extent that the credit exceeds such liability. In addition, each Shareholder will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis of its Shares by the difference between its share of such undistributed net capital gain and the related credit. There can be no assurance that the Fund will make this election if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain for a tax year.
As a RIC, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on certain undistributed amounts for each calendar year (the “4% excise tax”). To avoid the 4% excise tax, the Fund must distribute in respect of each calendar year dividends of an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of its ordinary taxable income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for the calendar year, (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) generally for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous calendar years that were not distributed during those calendar years. For purposes of determining whether the Fund has met this distribution requirement, the Fund will be deemed to have distributed any income or gains previously subject to U.S. federal income tax. Furthermore, any distribution declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to Shareholders, of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following calendar year, will be treated for tax purposes as if it had been paid on December 31 of the calendar year in which the distribution was declared. The Fund generally intends to avoid the imposition of the 4% excise tax, but there can be no assurance in this regard.
If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC or fails to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in respect of any tax year, the Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its taxable income, including its net capital gains, even if such income were distributed, and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed as ordinary dividend income. Such distributions generally would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of certain corporate Shareholders and may be eligible to be qualified dividend income in the case of certain non-corporate Shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and make distributions (any of which could be subject to interest charges) before re-qualifying for taxation as a RIC. If the Fund fails to satisfy either the income test or asset diversification test described above, in certain cases, however, the Fund
68 |
may be able to avoid losing its status as a RIC by timely providing notice of such failure to the IRS, curing such failure and possibly paying an additional tax or penalty.
Some of the investments that the Fund is expected to make, such as investments in debt instruments having market discount and/or treated as issued with OID, may cause the Fund to recognize income or gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes prior to the receipt of any corresponding cash or other property. As a result, the Fund may have difficulty meeting the 90% distribution requirement necessary to maintain RIC tax treatment. Because this income will be included in the Fund’s investment company taxable income for the tax year it is accrued, the Fund may be required to make a distribution to Shareholders to meet the distribution requirements described above, even though the Fund will not have received any corresponding cash or property. The Fund may be required to borrow money, dispose of other securities or forgo new investment opportunities for this purpose.
There may be uncertainty as to the appropriate treatment of certain of the Fund’s investments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In particular, the Fund expects to invest a portion of its Net Assets in below investment grade instruments. U.S. federal income tax rules with respect to such instruments are not entirely clear about issues such as whether and to what extent the Fund should recognize interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund, to the extent necessary, in connection with the Fund’s general intention to distribute sufficient income to qualify for and maintain its treatment as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and to minimize the risk that it becomes subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.
Income received by the Fund from sources outside the United States may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries, thereby reducing income available to the Fund. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. The Fund generally intends to conduct its investment activities to minimize the impact of foreign taxation, but there is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in this regard. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the close of its tax year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund will be eligible to elect to “pass-through” to the Fund the foreign source amount of income deemed earned and the respective amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund. If at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the close of each quarter of its tax year is represented by interests in other RICs, the Fund may elect to “pass-through” to Shareholders the foreign source amount of income deemed earned and the respective amount of foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the Fund. If the Fund so elects, each Shareholder would be required to include in gross income, even though not actually received, each Shareholder’s pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the Fund, but would be treated as having paid its pro rata share of such foreign taxes and would therefore be allowed to either deduct such amount in computing taxable income or use such amount (subject to various limitations) as a foreign tax credit against federal income tax (but not both).
The Fund may invest in shares of foreign companies that are classified under the Code as passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”). In general, a foreign company is considered a PFIC if at least 50% of its assets constitute investment-type assets or 75% or more of its gross income is investment-type income. In general under the PFIC rules, an “excess distribution” received with respect to PFIC shares is treated as having been realized ratably over the period during which the Fund held the PFIC shares. The Fund generally will be subject to tax on the portion, if any, of the excess distribution that is allocated to the Fund’s holding period in prior tax years (and an interest factor will be added to the tax, as if the tax had actually been payable in such prior tax years) even though the Fund distributes the corresponding income to Shareholders. Excess distributions include any gain from the sale of PFIC shares as well as certain distributions from a PFIC. All excess distributions are taxable as ordinary income.
The Fund may be eligible to elect alternative tax treatment with respect to PFIC shares. Under one such election (i.e., a “QEF” election), the Fund generally would be required to include in its gross income its share of the earnings of a PFIC on a current basis, regardless of whether any distributions are received from the PFIC. If this election is made, the special rules, discussed above, relating to the taxation of excess distributions, would not apply. Alternatively, the Fund may be able to elect to mark its PFIC shares to market, resulting in any unrealized gains at the Fund’s tax year end being treated as though they were recognized and reported as ordinary income. Any mark-to-market losses and any loss from an actual disposition of the PFIC’s Shares would be deductible as ordinary losses to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains included in income in prior tax years with respect to shares in the same PFIC.
69 |
Because the application of the PFIC rules may affect, among other things, the character of gains, the amount of gain or loss and the timing of the recognition of income, gain or loss with respect to PFIC shares, as well as subject the Fund itself to tax on certain income from PFIC shares, the amount that must be distributed to Fund Shareholders, and which will be recognized by Fund Shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to a fund that did not invest in PFIC shares. Note that distributions from a PFIC are not eligible for the reduced rate of tax on distributions of “qualified dividend income” as discussed below.
Some of the CLOs in which the Fund may invest may be PFICs, which are generally subject to the tax consequences described above. Investment in certain equity interests of CLOs that are subject to treatment as PFICs for U.S. federal income tax purposes may cause the Fund to recognize income in a tax year in excess of the Fund’s distributions from such CLOs, PFICs and the Fund’s proceeds from sales or other dispositions of equity interests in other CLOs and other PFICs during that tax year. As a result, the Fund generally would be required to distribute such income to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to RICs.
If the Fund holds more than 10% of the interests treated as equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a foreign corporation that is treated as a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”), including equity tranche investments and certain debt tranche investments in a CLO treated as a CFC, the Fund may be treated as receiving a deemed distribution (taxable as ordinary income) each tax year from such foreign corporation of an amount equal to the Fund’s pro rata share of the foreign corporation’s earnings for such tax year (including both ordinary earnings and capital gains), whether or not the corporation makes an actual distribution to the Fund during such tax year. This deemed distribution is required to be included in the income of certain U.S. shareholders of a CFC, such as the Fund, regardless of whether a U.S. shareholder has made a QEF election with respect to such CFC. The Fund is generally required to distribute such income in order to satisfy the distribution requirements applicable to RICs, even to the extent the Fund’s income from a CFC exceeds the distributions from the CFC and the Fund’s proceeds from the sales or other dispositions of CFC stock during that tax year. In general, a foreign corporation will be treated as a CFC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if more than 50% of the shares of the foreign corporation, measured by reference to combined voting power or value, is owned (directly, indirectly or by attribution) by U.S. Shareholders. A “U.S. Shareholder,” for this purpose, is any U.S. person that possesses (actually or constructively) 10% or more of the combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of a corporation.
The functional currency of the Fund, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is the U.S. dollar. Gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that occur between the time a Fund accrues interest income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities generally are respectively characterized as ordinary income or ordinary loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Similarly, on the sale of other disposition of certain investments, including debt securities, certain forward contracts, as well as other derivative financial instruments, denominated in a foreign currency, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also are generally treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Code as “section 988” gains and losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s investment company taxable income subject to distribution to Fund Shareholders as ordinary income. For example, fluctuations in exchange rates may increase the amount of income that the Fund must distribute to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC and to prevent application of an excise tax on undistributed income. Alternatively, fluctuations in exchange rates may decrease or eliminate income available for distribution. If section 988 losses exceed other investment company taxable income during a tax year, the Fund would not be able to distribute amounts considered dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and any distributions during a tax year made by the Fund before such losses were recognized would be re-characterized as a return of capital to Fund Shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes, rather than as ordinary dividend income, and would reduce each Fund Shareholder’s tax basis in Fund Shares.
If the Fund utilizes leverage through the issuance of preferred Shares or borrowings, it will be prohibited from declaring a distribution or dividend if it would fail the applicable asset coverage test(s) under the 1940 Act after the payment of such distribution or dividend. In addition, certain covenants in credit facilities or indentures may impose greater restrictions on the Fund’s ability to declare and pay dividends on Fund Shares. Limits on the Fund’s ability to pay dividends on Fund Shares may prevent the Fund from meeting the distribution requirements described above and, as a result, may affect the Fund’s ability to be subject to tax as a RIC or subject the Fund to the 4% excise tax. The Fund endeavors to avoid restrictions on its ability to make distribution payments. If the Fund is precluded from making
70 |
distributions on Fund Shares because of any applicable asset coverage requirements, the terms of preferred Shares (if any) may provide that any amounts so precluded from being distributed, but required to be distributed by the Fund to enable the Fund to satisfy the distribution requirements that would enable the Fund to be subject to tax as a RIC, will be paid to the holders of preferred Shares as a special distribution. This distribution can be expected to decrease the amount that holders of preferred Shares would be entitled to receive upon redemption or liquidation of such preferred Shares.
Certain of the Fund’s investments are expected to be subject to special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (1) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (2) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gains into higher-taxed short-term capital gains or ordinary income, (3) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss, the deductibility of which is more limited, (4) adversely affect when a purchase or sale of shares or securities is deemed to occur, (5) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions, (6) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (7) treat dividends that would otherwise constitute qualified dividend income as non-qualified dividend income, (8) treat dividends that would otherwise be eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction as ineligible for such treatment and (9) produce income that will not constitute Qualifying RIC Income. The application of these rules could cause the Fund to be subject to U.S. federal income tax or the 4% excise tax and, under certain circumstances, could affect the Fund’s status as a RIC. The Fund monitors its investments and may make certain tax elections to mitigate the effect of these provisions.
The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund has qualified for and maintained its treatment as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes and has satisfied the distribution requirements described above.
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders
Distributions
Distributions of the Fund’s ordinary income and net short-term capital gains will, except as described below with respect to distributions of “qualified dividend income,” generally be taxable to Shareholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Distributions (or deemed distributions, as described above), if any, of net capital gains will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time a Shareholder has owned Shares. The ultimate tax characterization of the Fund’s distributions made in a tax year cannot be determined until after the end of the tax year. As a result, the Fund may make total distributions during a tax year in an amount that exceeds the current and accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a Shareholder as a return of capital that will be applied against and reduce the Shareholder’s tax basis in its Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the Shareholder’s tax basis in its Shares, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale or exchange of Shares. Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Shares. Generally, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a Shareholder receiving Shares under the DRP will be treated as having received a distribution equal to the fair market value of such Shares on the date the Shares are credited to the Shareholder’s account.
A return of capital to Shareholders is a return of a portion of their original investment in the Fund, thereby reducing the tax basis of their investment. As a result from such reduction in tax basis, Shareholders may be subject to tax in connection with the sale of Fund Shares, even if such Shares are sold at a loss relative to the Shareholder’s original investment.
It is expected that a substantial portion of the Fund’s income will consist of ordinary income. For example, interest and OID derived by the Fund characterized as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, gain derived by the Fund from the disposition of debt instruments with “market discount” (generally, securities with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance acquired by the Fund at a price below the lesser of their stated redemption price at maturity or accreted value, in the case of securities with OID) will be characterized as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of the market discount that has accrued, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, at the time of such disposition, unless the Fund makes an election to accrue market discount on a current basis. Recent tax legislation may, pending further regulatory guidance, require the Fund to accrue market discount currently. In addition, certain of the Fund’s investments will be subject to other
71 |
special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may affect the character, increase the amount and/or accelerate the timing of distributions to Shareholders.
Distributions made by the Fund to a corporate Shareholder will qualify for the dividends-received deduction only to the extent that the distributions consist of qualifying dividends received by the Fund. In addition, any portion of the Fund’s dividends otherwise qualifying for the dividends-received deduction will be disallowed or reduced if the corporate Shareholder fails to satisfy certain requirements, including a holding period requirement, with respect to its Shares. Distributions of “qualified dividend income” to an individual or other non-corporate Shareholder will be treated as “qualified dividend income” to such Shareholder and generally will be taxed at long-term capital gain rates, provided the Shareholder satisfies the applicable holding period and other requirements. “Qualified dividend income” generally includes dividends from domestic corporations and dividends from foreign corporations that meet certain specified criteria. Given the Fund’s investment strategy, it is not expected that a significant portion of the distributions made by the Fund will be eligible for the dividends-received deduction or the reduced rates applicable to “qualified dividend income.”
If a person acquires Shares shortly before the record date of a distribution, the price of the Shares may include the value of the distribution, and the person will be subject to tax on the distribution even though economically it may represent a return of the person’s investment in such Shares.
Distributions paid by the Fund generally will be treated as received by a Shareholder at the time the distribution is made. However, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a distribution that is paid during the following tax year as if it had been paid during the tax year in which the income or gains supporting the distribution was earned. If the Fund makes such an election, the Shareholder will still be treated as receiving the distribution in the tax year in which the distribution is received. In this instance, however, any distribution declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to Shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following calendar year, will be treated for tax purposes as if it had been received by Shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which the distribution was declared.
Shareholders will be notified annually, as promptly as practicable after the end of each calendar year, as to the U.S. federal tax status of distributions, and Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Shares will receive a report as to the NAV of those Shares.
Sale or Exchange of Shares
The repurchase or transfer of Shares may result in a taxable gain or loss to the tendering Shareholder. Different tax consequences may apply for tendering and non-tendering Shareholders in connection with a repurchase offer. For example, if a Shareholder does not tender all of his or her Shares, such repurchase may not be treated as a sale or exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and may result in deemed distributions to non-tendering Shareholders. On the other hand, Shareholders holding Shares as capital assets who tender all of their Shares (including Shares deemed owned by Shareholders under constructive ownership rules) will be treated as having sold their Shares and generally will recognize capital gain or loss. The amount of the gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the amount received for the Shares and the Shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the relevant Shares. Such gain or loss generally will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Shareholder has held such Shares as capital assets for more than one year. Otherwise, the gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss.
Losses realized by a Shareholder on the sale or exchange of Shares held as capital assets for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gains received (or deemed received, as discussed above) with respect to such Shares. In addition, no loss will be allowed on a sale or other disposition of Shares if the Shareholder acquires (including through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) Shares, or enters into a contract or option to acquire Shares, within 30 days before or after any disposition of such Shares at a loss. In such a case, the basis of the Shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Under current law, net capital gains recognized by non-corporate Shareholders are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax at lower rates than the rates applicable to ordinary income.
In general, U.S. Shareholders currently are generally subject to a maximum federal income tax rate of either 15% or 20% (depending on whether the Shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts) on their net capital gain (i.e., the excess of realized net long-term capital gains over realized net short-term capital losses), including any long-
72 |
term capital gain derived from an investment in Shares. Such rate is lower than the maximum rate on ordinary income currently payable by individuals. Corporate U.S. Shareholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 21% rate also applied to ordinary income. Non-corporate Shareholders with net capital losses for a tax year (i.e., capital losses in excess of capital gains) generally may deduct up to $3,000 of such losses against their ordinary income each tax year. Any net capital losses of a non-corporate Shareholder in excess of $3,000 generally may be carried forward and used in subsequent tax years as provided in the Code. Corporate Shareholders generally may not deduct any net capital losses for a tax year, but may carry back such losses for three tax years or carry forward such losses for five tax years.
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts. U.S. persons that are individuals, estates or trusts are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the applicability of this tax to their income and gains in respect of their investment in the Fund.
The Fund (or if a U.S. Shareholder holds Shares through an intermediary, such intermediary) will send to each of its U.S. Shareholders, as promptly as possible after the end of each calendar year, a notice detailing, on a per Share and per distribution basis, the amounts includible in such U.S. Shareholder’s taxable income for such year as ordinary income and as long-term capital gain. In addition, the federal tax status of each year’s distributions generally will be reported to the IRS, including the amount of distributions, if any, eligible for the preferential maximum rate generally applicable to long-term capital gains. Distributions paid by the Fund generally will not be eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction or the preferential tax rate applicable to Qualifying Dividends because the Fund’s income generally will not consist of dividends. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on a U.S. Shareholder’s particular situation.
Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a Shareholder recognizes losses with respect to Shares of $2 million or more for an individual Shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate Shareholder, the Shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct Shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Reporting of adjusted cost basis information is required for covered securities, which generally include shares of a RIC acquired after January 1, 2012, to the IRS and to taxpayers. Shareholders should contact their Financial Intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for their accounts.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Information returns will be filed with the IRS in connection with payments on Shares and the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of Shares. A Shareholder will be subject to backup withholding on all such payments if it fails to provide the payor with its correct taxpayer identification number (generally, in the case of a U.S. resident Shareholder, on an IRS Form W-9) and to make required certifications or otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. Corporate Shareholders and certain other Shareholders generally are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against the applicable Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
Whether an investment in the Fund is appropriate for a non-U.S. Shareholder (as defined below) will depend upon that investor’s particular circumstances. An investment in the Fund by a non-U.S. Shareholder may have adverse tax consequences. Non-U.S. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors before investing in Shares.
73 |
The U.S. federal income taxation of a Shareholder that is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate or a foreign corporation, as defined for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a “non-U.S. Shareholder”), depends on whether the income that the Shareholder derives from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the Shareholder.
If the income that a non-U.S. Shareholder derives from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such non-U.S. Shareholder, distributions of “investment company taxable income” will generally be subject to a U.S. federal withholding tax at the then-current rate (or a lower rate provided under an applicable treaty). Alternatively, if the income that a non-U.S. Shareholder derives from the Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. Shareholder, the Fund will not be required to withhold U.S. federal tax if the non-U.S. Shareholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements, although such income will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the manner described below and at the rates applicable to U.S. residents. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the respective rate of withholding tax applicable to non-U.S. Shareholders.
A non-U.S. Shareholder whose income from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business will generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on capital gains distributions, any amounts retained by the Fund that are designated as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of Shares. If, however, such a non-U.S. Shareholder is a nonresident alien individual and is physically present in the United States for 183 days or more during the tax year and meets certain other requirements such capital gains distributions, undistributed capital gains and gains from the sale or exchange of Shares will be subject to a the applicable U.S. tax rate.
Furthermore, properly reported distributions by the Fund and received by non-U.S. Shareholders are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (a) are paid by the Fund in respect of the Fund’s “qualified net interest income” (i.e., the Fund’s U.S. source interest income, subject to certain exceptions, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income), or (b) are paid by the Fund in connection with the Fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gains over the Fund’s long-term capital losses for such tax year). However, depending on the circumstances, the Fund may report all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible distributions as derived from such qualified net interest income or from such qualified short-term capital gains, and a portion of such distributions (e.g., derived from interest from non-U.S. sources or any foreign currency gains) would be ineligible for this potential exemption from withholding. Moreover, in the case of Shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may have withheld amounts even if the Fund reported all or a portion of a distribution as exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax. To qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. Shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. tax residency status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8IMY or IRS Form W-8EXP, or an acceptable substitute or successor form). Thus, an investment in the Shares by a non-U.S. Shareholder may have adverse tax consequences as compared to a direct investment in the assets in which the Fund will invest.
If the income from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. Shareholder, any distributions of “investment company taxable income,” capital gains distributions, amounts retained by the Fund that are designated as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of Shares will be subject to U.S. income tax, on a net income basis, in the same manner, and at the graduated rates applicable to, U.S. persons. If such a non-U.S. Shareholder is a corporation, it may also be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax.
A non-U.S. Shareholder other than a corporation may be subject to backup withholding on net capital gains distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax or on distributions that would otherwise be taxable at a reduced treaty rate if such Shareholder does not certify its non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establish an exemption.
If the Fund distributes net capital gains in the form of deemed rather than actual distributions, a non-U.S. Shareholder will be entitled to a U.S. federal income tax credit or tax refund equal to the Shareholder’s allocable share of the tax the Fund pays on the capital gains deemed to have been distributed. To obtain the refund, the non-U.S. Shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a federal income tax return even if the non-U.S. Shareholder would not otherwise be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number or file a federal income tax return.
74 |
Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act provisions of the Code, the Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at the applicable rate) on payments of taxable dividends and, effective January 1, 2019, on redemption proceeds (and certain capital gain dividends) made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements in the Code designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to the Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.
The tax consequences to a non-U.S. Shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. Non-U.S. Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund, including the potential application of the U.S. estate tax.
Other Taxes
Shareholders may be subject to state, local and non-U.S. taxes applicable to their investment in the Fund. In those states or localities, entity-level tax treatment and the treatment of distributions made to Shareholders under those jurisdictions’ tax laws may differ from the treatment under the Code. Accordingly, an investment in Shares may have tax consequences for Shareholders that are different from those of a direct investment in the Fund’s portfolio investments. Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.
75 |
Employee benefit plans and other plans subject to ERISA or the Code, including corporate savings and 401(k) plans, IRAs and Keogh Plans (each, an “ERISA Plan”) may purchase Shares. ERISA imposes certain general and specific responsibilities on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an ERISA Plan, including prudence, diversification, prohibited transactions and other standards. Because the Fund is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, the underlying assets of the Fund will not be considered to be “plan assets” of any ERISA Plan investing in the Fund for purposes of the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction rules under Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. Thus, none of the Fund or the Advisers will be a fiduciary within the meaning of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code with respect to the assets of any ERISA Plan that becomes a Shareholder, solely as a result of the ERISA Plan’s investment in the Fund.
The provisions of ERISA are subject to extensive and continuing administrative and judicial interpretation and review. The discussion of ERISA contained herein is, of necessity, general and may be affected by future publication of regulations and rulings. Potential investors should consult their legal advisers regarding the consequences under ERISA of an investment in the Fund through an ERISA Plan.
76 |
ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST
The Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of the Board. These provisions may have the effect of discouraging attempts to acquire control of the Fund, which attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Fund and interfering with the normal operation of the Fund. The Trustees are elected for indefinite terms and do not stand for reelection. A Trustee may be removed from office with cause only by action taken by a majority of the remaining Trustees (or, in the case of an Independent Trustee, only by action taken by a majority of the remaining Independent Trustees). The Declaration of Trust does not contain any other specific inhibiting provisions that would operate only with respect to an extraordinary transaction such as a merger, reorganization, tender offer, sale or transfer of substantially all of the Fund’s asset, or liquidation. Reference should be made to the Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC for the full text of these provisions.
77 |
OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc., located at 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10281-1008, serves as the Fund’s principal underwriter and acts as the Distributor of the Fund’s Shares on a best efforts basis, subject to various conditions. The Fund’s Shares are offered for sale through the Distributor at NAV plus the applicable sales load. The Distributor also may enter into agreements with Financial Intermediaries for the sale and servicing of the Fund’s Shares. In reliance on Rule 415 of the 1933 Act, the Fund intends to offer its Shares, on a continual basis, through the Distributor. The Distributor is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of the Fund’s Shares, but will use its best efforts to solicit orders for the purchase of the Shares. Shares of the Fund will not be listed on any national securities exchange and the Distributor will not act as a market marker in Fund Shares.
The Advisers or their affiliates, in the Advisers’ discretion and from their own resources, may pay Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries in connection with the sale of Fund Shares. In return for the Additional Compensation, the Fund may receive certain marketing advantages including access to a Financial Intermediary’s registered representatives, placement on a list of investment options offered by a Financial Intermediary, or the ability to assist in training and educating a Financial Intermediary. The Additional Compensation may differ among Financial Intermediaries in amount or in the manner of calculation: payments of Additional Compensation may be fixed dollar amounts, or based on the aggregate value of outstanding Shares held by Shareholders introduced by the Financial Intermediary, or determined in some other manner. The receipt of Additional Compensation by a selling Financial Intermediary may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and its Financial Intermediary who is recommending the Fund over other potential investments. Additionally, the Fund pays a servicing fee to the Financial Intermediaries or financial institutions and for providing ongoing services in respect of clients with whom it has distributed shares of the Fund. Such services may include electronic processing of client orders, electronic fund transfers between clients and the Fund, account reconciliations with the Fund’s sub-transfer agent, facilitation of electronic delivery to clients of Fund documentation, monitoring client accounts for back-up withholding and any other special tax reporting obligations, maintenance of books and records with respect to the foregoing, and such other information and ongoing liaison services as the Fund or the Advisers may reasonably request.
Purchasing Shares
Investors may purchase Shares directly from the Fund in accordance with the instructions below. Investors will be assessed fees for returned checks and stop payment orders at prevailing rates charged by DST. The returned check and stop payment fee is currently $5.00. Investors may buy Shares of the Fund through Financial Intermediaries. Orders will be priced at the appropriate price next computed after it is received by a Financial Intermediary and accepted by the Fund. A Financial Intermediary may hold Shares in an omnibus account in the Financial Intermediary’s name or the Financial Intermediary may maintain individual ownership records. The Fund may pay the Financial Intermediary for maintaining individual ownership records as well as providing other shareholder services. Financial Intermediaries may charge fees for the services they provide in connection with processing your transaction order or maintaining an investor’s account with them. Investors should check with their Financial Intermediary to determine if it is subject to these arrangements. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for placing orders correctly and promptly with the Fund, forwarding payment promptly.
If an investment is made through an IRA, Keogh plan or 401(k) plan, an approved trustee must process and forward the subscription to the Fund. In such case, the Fund will send the confirmation and notice of its acceptance to the trustee.
The Fund accepts initial and additional purchases of Shares as of the first business day of each calendar month. The investor must submit a completed account application form five business days before the applicable purchase date. All purchases are subject to the receipt of immediately available funds three business days prior to the applicable purchase date in the full amount of the purchase (to enable the Fund to invest the proceeds as of the applicable purchase date). An investor who misses one or both of these deadlines will have the effectiveness of its investment in the Fund delayed until the following month.
Despite having to meet the earlier application and funding deadlines described above, the Fund does not issue the Shares purchased (and an investor does not become a Shareholder with respect to such Shares) until the applicable
78 |
purchase date, i.e., the first business day of the relevant calendar month. Consequently, purchase proceeds do not represent capital of the Fund, and do not become assets of the Fund, until such date.
Any amounts received in advance of the initial or subsequent purchases of Shares are placed in a non-interest-bearing account by DST prior to their investment in the Fund, in accordance with Rule 15c2-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Fund reserves the right to reject any application. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, any amount received in advance of a purchase ultimately rejected by the Fund will be returned to the prospective investor.
By Mail — Initial Investment
To make an initial purchase by mail, complete an account application and mail the application, together with a check made payable to OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund to:
Overnight: OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund c/o DST Systems, Inc. STE 219895 430 W 7th Street Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 |
Regular Mail: OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund P.O. Box 219895 Kansas City, MO 64121-9895 |
All checks must be in US Dollars drawn on a domestic bank. The Fund will not accept payment in cash or money orders. To prevent check fraud, the Fund will neither accept third-party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares, nor post-dated checks, postdated on-line bill pay checks, or any conditional purchase order or payment.
The transfer agent will charge a $5.00 fee against an investor’s account, in addition to any loss sustained by the Fund, for any payment that is returned. It is the policy of the Fund not to accept applications under certain circumstances or in amounts considered disadvantageous to Shareholders. The Fund reserves the right to reject any application.
By Wire — Initial Investment
To make an initial investment in the Fund, the sub-transfer agent must receive a completed account application from a Financial Intermediary before an investor wires funds. The Financial Intermediary may mail or overnight deliver an account application to the sub-transfer agent. Upon receipt of the completed account application, the sub-transfer agent will establish an account. The account number assigned will be required as part of the instruction that should be provided to an investor’s bank to send the wire. An investor’s bank must include both the name of the Fund, the account number, and the investor’s name so that monies can be correctly applied. If you wish to wire money to make an investment in the Fund, please call the Fund at 833-677-3646 for wiring instructions and to notify the Fund that a wire transfer is coming. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds via wire. The Fund will normally accept wired funds for investment on the day received if they are received by the Fund’s designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE in accordance with the procedures described above. Your bank may charge you a fee for wiring same-day funds. The bank should transmit funds by wire to:
UMB Bank, NA
DST as Agent for OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund
ABA #: 101000695
Account #: 9872292405
Further Credit: Shareholder registration and account number
In compliance with the USA Patriot Act of 2001, DST will verify certain information on each account application as part of the Fund’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. As requested on the application, investors must supply full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. Mailing addresses containing only a P.O. Box will not be accepted. Registered representatives/investment advisers may call the Fund at 833-677-3646 for additional assistance when completing an application.
79 |
If DST does not have a reasonable belief of the identity of a customer, the account will be rejected or the customer will not be allowed to perform a transaction on the account until such information is received. The Fund also may reserve the right to close the account within five business days if clarifying information/documentation is not received.
Purchase Terms
The minimum initial purchase by an investor is $25,000 for regular and retirement plan accounts. The Fund reserves the right to waive investment minimums. The Fund’s Shares are offered for sale through its Distributor at NAV plus the applicable sales load. The price of the Shares during the Fund’s continuous offering will fluctuate over time with the NAV of the Shares.
Investors purchasing Shares will pay a sales load based on the amount of their net investment in the Fund. The sales load payable by each investor depends upon the amount invested by such investor in the Fund, but may range from 0.00% to 3.50%. A reallowance to participating broker-dealers may be made by the Distributor from the sales load paid by each investor.
You may be able to buy Shares without a sales charge (i.e., “load-waived”) when you are:
Distribution and Shareholder Service Expenses
The Fund has adopted a “Distribution and Shareholder Services Plan” with respect to its Shares under which the Fund may compensate financial industry professionals for distribution-related expenses and providing ongoing services in respect of clients with whom they have distributed shares of the Fund. Such services may include electronic processing of client orders, electronic fund transfers between clients and the Fund, account reconciliations with the Fund’s sub-transfer agent, facilitation of electronic delivery to clients of Fund documentation, monitoring client accounts for back-up withholding and any other special tax reporting obligations, maintenance of books and records with respect to the foregoing, and such other information and liaison services as the Fund or the Advisers may reasonably request. Under the Distribution and Shareholder Services Plan, the Fund may incur expenses on an annual basis equal up to 0.85% of its average monthly net assets.
80 |
The Fund intends to make a distribution each quarter to its Shareholders of the net investment income of the Fund after payment of Fund operating expenses. The Fund expects its first quarterly distribution to occur in December 2018. The dividend rate may be modified by the Board from time to time.
To the extent that any portion of the Fund’s quarterly distributions are considered a return of capital to Shareholders, such portion would not be considered dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and would represent a return of the amounts that such Shareholders invested. Although such return of capital distributions are not currently taxable to Shareholders, such distributions will have the effect of lowering a Shareholder’s tax basis in such Shares, and could result in a higher tax liability when the Shares are sold, even if they have not increased in value, or in fact, have lost value. The Fund’s final distribution for each tax year is expected to include any remaining investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income undistributed during the tax year, as well as any undistributed net capital gain realized during the tax year. If the total distributions made in any tax year exceed investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt income and net capital gain, such excess distributed amount would be treated as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. This distribution policy, may, under certain circumstances, have adverse consequences to the Fund and its Shareholders because it may result in a return of capital resulting in less of a Shareholder’s assets being invested in the Fund and, over time, increase the Fund’s expense ratio. The distribution policy also may cause the Fund to sell securities at a time it would not otherwise do so to manage the distribution of income and gain. The initial distribution will be declared on a date determined by the Board.
Each year, a statement on Form 1099-DIV identifying the sources of the distributions (i.e., paid from ordinary income, paid from net capital gains on the sale of securities, and/or a return of capital, which is a nontaxable distribution) will be furnished to Shareholders subject to IRS reporting. Fund ordinary distributions may exceed the Fund’s earnings, especially during the period before the Fund has substantially invested the proceeds from this offering. To the extent that the Fund pays distributions that constitute a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it will lower an investor’s tax basis in his or her Shares. A return of capital generally is a return of an investor’s investment rather than a return of earnings or gains derived from the Fund’s investment activities. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to pay distributions at a specific rate or at all.
As discussed in the “Tax Aspects” section, to qualify for and maintain RIC tax treatment, the Fund is required to distribute on a timely basis with respect to each tax year dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes of an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of “investment company taxable income” and net tax-exempt interest income, determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid, for such tax year. To avoid certain excise taxes imposed on RICs, the Fund is required to distribute in respect of each calendar year dividends of an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of ordinary income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for the calendar year, (2) 98.2% of capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) generally for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year and (3) any ordinary income and capital gain net income for previous calendar years that were not distributed during such calendar years and on which the Fund paid no U.S. federal income tax. The Fund can offer no assurance that it will achieve results that will permit the payment of any cash distributions. If the Fund issues senior securities, the Fund will be prohibited from making distributions if doing so causes it to fail to maintain the asset coverage ratios stipulated by the 1940 Act or if distributions are limited by the terms of any of the Fund’s borrowings. Any such limitations would adversely impact the Fund’s ability to make distributions to Shareholders.
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
The Fund will operate under the DRP administered by DST. Pursuant to the DRP, the Fund’s Distributions, net of any applicable U.S. withholding tax, are reinvested in the same class of shares of the Fund.
Shareholders automatically participate in the DRP, unless and until an election is made to withdraw from the plan on behalf of such participating Shareholder. A Shareholder who does not wish to have Distributions automatically reinvested may terminate participation in the DRP at any time by written instructions to that effect to DST. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the DRP will receive all distributions in cash paid to the Shareholder of record (or, if the shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee). Such written instructions must be received by DST at least two business days prior to the record date of the Distribution or the Shareholder will
81 |
receive such Distribution in shares through the DRP. Under the DRP, the Fund’s Distributions to Shareholders are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares as described below.
When the Fund declares a Distribution, DST, on the Shareholder’s behalf, will receive additional authorized shares from the Fund either newly issued or repurchased from Shareholders by the Fund and held as treasury stock. The number of shares to be received when Distributions are reinvested will be determined by dividing the amount of the Distribution by the Fund’s NAV per share.
DST will maintain all Shareholder accounts and furnish written confirmations of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by Shareholders for personal and tax records. DST will hold shares in the account of the Shareholders in non-certificated form in the name of the participant, and each Shareholder’s proxy, if any, will include those shares purchased pursuant to the DRP. Each participant, nevertheless, has the right to request certificates for whole and fractional shares owned. The Fund will issue certificates in its sole discretion. DST will distribute all proxy solicitation materials, if any, to participating Shareholders.
In the case of shareholders, such as banks, brokers or nominees, that hold shares for others who are beneficial owners participating under the DRP, DST will administer the DRP on the basis of the number of shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder as representing the total amount of shares registered in the shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners participating under the DRP.
Neither DST nor the Fund shall have any responsibility or liability beyond the exercise of ordinary care for any action taken or omitted pursuant to the DRP, nor shall they have any duties, responsibilities or liabilities except such as expressly set forth herein. Neither shall they be liable hereunder for any act done in good faith or for any good faith omissions to act, including, without limitation, failure to terminate a participant’s account prior to receipt of written notice of his or her death or with respect to prices at which shares are purchased or sold for the participants account and the terms on which such purchases and sales are made, subject to applicable provisions of the federal securities laws.
The automatic reinvestment of Dividends will not relieve participants of any federal, state or local income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on such Dividends. See “Tax Aspects.”
The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the DRP upon 60 days’ notice to Shareholders. There is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases under the DRP; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the DRP to include a service charge payable by the participants.
All correspondence concerning the DRP should be directed to DST at OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund, P.O. Box 219895, Kansas City, MO 64121-9895. Certain transactions can be performed by calling the toll free number 833-677-3646.
82 |
For accounting purposes, the Fund’s fiscal year and tax year is expected to end on December 31. As soon as practicable after the end of each calendar year, a statement on Form 1099-DIV identifying the sources of the distributions paid by the Fund to Shareholders for tax purposes will be furnished to Shareholders subject to IRS reporting. In addition, the Fund will prepare and transmit to Shareholders an unaudited semi-annual and an audited annual report within 60 days after the close of the period for which the report is being made, or as otherwise required by the 1940 Act.
83 |
Inquiries concerning the Fund and the Shares should be directed to the Fund at 833-677-3646.
84 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Page
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND RISKS | B-1 |
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS | B-11 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND | B-13 |
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS | B-20 |
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROXY VOTING RECORD | B-21 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES | B-22 |
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM | B-23 |
LEGAL COUNSEL | B-23 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | B-23 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | F-1 |
85 |
Investors should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other individual has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations that are not contained in this prospectus. If any such information or statements are given or made, investors should not rely upon such information or representations. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell any securities other than those to which this prospectus relates, or an offer to sell to, or a solicitation of an offer to buy from, any person in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be unlawful. This prospectus speaks as of the date set forth below. Investors should not assume that the delivery of this prospectus or that any sale made pursuant to this prospectus implies that the information contained in this prospectus will remain fully accurate and correct as of any time subsequent to the date of this prospectus.
OFI CARLYLE PRIVATE CREDIT FUND
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
PROSPECTUS
June 1, 2018
OFI CARLYLE PRIVATE CREDIT FUND
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
Statement of Additional Information
June 1, 2018
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is operated as an interval fund. The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by opportunistically allocating its assets across a wide range of credit strategies. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
This Statement of Additional Information (this “Statement of Additional Information”) is not a prospectus and is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only if preceded or accompanied by the Prospectus. This Statement of Additional Information should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Fund at OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund, 6803 South Tucson Way, Centennial, Colorado 80112-3924 or by calling toll-free 833-677-3646 or by accessing the Fund’s website at www.ofiglobalcarlyle.com. The information on the website is not incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information and investors should not consider it a part of this Statement of Additional Information. The Prospectus, and other information about the Fund, is also available on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov. The address of the SEC’s website is provided solely for the information of prospective investors and is not intended to be an active link.
Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Statement of Additional Information have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND RISKS |
The following disclosure supplements the disclosure set forth under the caption “Types of Investments and Related Risks” in the Prospectus and does not, by itself, present a complete or accurate explanation of the matters disclosed. Prospective investors must refer also to “Types of Investments and Related Risks” in the Prospectus for a complete presentation of the matters disclosed below.
Bank Loans and Participations
The Fund’s investment program may include bank loans and participations. These obligations are subject to unique risks, including (i) the possible avoidance of an investment transaction as a “preferential transfer,” “fraudulent conveyance” or “fraudulent transfer,” among other avoidance actions, under relevant bankruptcy, insolvency and/or creditors’ rights laws; (ii) so-called “lender liability” claims by the issuer of the obligations; (iii) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations; (iv) limitations on the ability of the Fund to directly enforce its rights with respect to participations; and (v) the contractual nature of participations where the Fund takes on the credit risk of the agent bank rather than the actual borrower.
The Fund may acquire interests in loans either directly (by way of assignment) or indirectly (by way of participation). The Fund typically acquires loans by assignment, but may in some instances purchase loans by participation. The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a contracting party under the loan agreement with respect to the loan; however, its rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution. Participation in a portion of a loan typically results in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating out the interest and not with the obligor. The Fund would, in such a case, have the right to receive payments of principal and interest to which it is entitled only from the institution selling the participation, and not directly from the obligor, and only upon receipt by such institution of such payments from the obligor. As the owner of a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the obligor with the terms of the loan agreement or to vote on amendments to the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the obligor, and the Fund may not directly benefit from collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of the selling institution, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of such selling institution, and may not have any exclusive or senior claim with respect to the selling institution’s interest in, or the collateral with respect to, the applicable loan. Consequently, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the obligor and the institution selling the participation to the Fund. As a result, concentrations of participations from any one selling institution subject the Fund to an additional degree of risk with respect to defaults by such selling institution. In addition, because bank loans are not typically registered under the federal securities laws like stocks and bonds, investors in loans have less protection against improper practices than investors in registered securities.
Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase
The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe for and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe for additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights’ or warrants’ expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the related security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.
Equity Securities
In addition to common stock, the Fund may invest in other equity securities, such as depositary receipts.
Depositary Receipts. The Fund may hold investments in sponsored and unsponsored American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), European depositary receipts (“EDRs”), global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) and other similar global instruments. ADRs typically are issued by a U.S. bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. corporation. EDRs, which are sometimes referred to as continental depositary receipts, are receipts issued in Europe, typically by non-U.S. banks and trust companies, that evidence ownership of
either non-U.S. or domestic underlying securities. GDRs are depositary receipts structured like global debt issues to facilitate trading on an international basis. Unsponsored ADR, EDR and GDR programs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the issuer of the underlying securities. As a result, available information concerning the issuer may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, and the prices of unsponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be more volatile than if such instruments were sponsored by the issuer. Investments in ADRs, EDRs and GDRs present the additional investment considerations of non-U.S. securities.
Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Debt Securities
For temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash equivalents and short-term debt securities. Short-term debt securities are defined to include, without limitation, the following:
(1) U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government securities include securities issued by: (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration and Government National Mortgage Association, the securities of which are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Tennessee Valley Authority, the securities of which are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, the securities of which are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, the securities of which are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities. Consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate. The economic crisis in the United States during 2008 and 2009 negatively impacted government-sponsored entities. As the real estate market deteriorated through declining home prices and increasing foreclosure, government-sponsored entities, which back the majority of U.S. mortgages, experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases, a lack of liquidity. OC Private Capital, LLC (“OC Private Capital” or “Adviser”) and Carlyle Global Credit Investment Management L.L.C. (“CGCIM” or “Sub-Adviser” and collectively with the Adviser, the “Advisers”) will monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund’s portfolio in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund’s investment objective, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so.
(2) Certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or a savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return and are normally negotiable. The issuer of a certificate of deposit agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(3) Repurchase agreements, which involve purchases of debt securities. At the time the Fund purchases securities pursuant to a repurchase agreement, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver such securities to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the securities at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period, since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest temporarily available cash. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposit; or bankers’ acceptances in which the Fund may invest. Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund is entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The Advisers will monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The Advisers will do so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.
B-1 |
(4) Commercial paper, which consists of short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for such notes. However, they are redeemable by the Fund at any time. The Advisers will consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. Investments in commercial paper will be limited to commercial paper rated in the highest categories by a major rating agency and which mature within one year of the date of purchase or carry a variable or floating rate of interest.
When-Issued and Forward Commitment Securities
The Fund may purchase securities on a “when-issued” basis and may purchase or sell securities on a “forward commitment” basis to acquire the security or to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices. When such transactions are negotiated, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. When-issued securities and forward commitments may be sold prior to the settlement date, but the Fund will enter into when-issued and forward commitments only with the intention of actually receiving or delivering the securities, as the case may be. If the Fund disposes of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or disposes of its right to deliver or receive against a forward commitment, it might incur a gain or loss. At the time the Fund enters into a transaction on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, it will designate on its books and records cash or liquid credit securities equal to at least the value of the when-issued or forward commitment securities, unless future SEC staff guidance permits designation or segregation to a lesser extent. The value of these assets will be monitored daily to ensure that their marked-to-market value will at all times equal or exceed the corresponding obligations of the Fund. There is always a risk that the securities may not be delivered and that the Fund may incur a loss. Settlements in the ordinary course, which may take substantially more than five business days, are not treated by the Fund as when-issued or forward commitment transactions and accordingly are not subject to the foregoing restrictions.
Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis are subject to changes in value (generally changing in the same way, i.e., appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest rates rise) based upon the public’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, actual or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a when-issued basis can involve the additional risks that the yield available in the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund is fully invested may result in greater potential fluctuation in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).
The risks and effect of settlements in the ordinary course on the Fund’s NAV are not the same as the risks and effect of when-issued and forward commitment securities.
The purchase price of when-issued and forward commitment securities are expressed in yield terms, which reference a floating rate of interest, and is therefore subject to fluctuations of the security’s value in the market from the date of the Fund’s commitment (the “Commitment Date”) to the date of the actual delivery and payment for such securities (the “Settlement Date”). There is a risk that, on the Settlement Date, the Fund’s payment of the final purchase price, which is calculated on the yield negotiated on the Commitment Date, will be higher than the market’s valuation of the security on the Settlement Date. This same risk is also borne if the Fund disposes of its right to acquire a when-issued security, or its right to deliver or receive, a forward commitment security, and there is a downward market movement in the value of the security from the Commitment Date to the Settlement Date. In some instances, no income accrues to the Fund during the period from the Commitment Date to the Settlement Date. On the other hand, the Fund may incur a gain if the Fund invests in when-issued and forward commitment securities and correctly anticipates the rise in interest rates and prices in the market.
The settlements of secondary market purchases of senior loans in the ordinary course, on a settlement date beyond the period expected by loan market participants (i.e., T+7 for par loans and T+20 for distressed loans, in other words more than seven or twenty business days beyond the trade date, respectively) are subject to the delayed compensation mechanics prescribed by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association (“LSTA”). For par loans,
B-2 |
income accrues to the buyer of the senior loan (the “Buyer”) during the period beginning on the last date by which the senior loan purchase should have settled (T+7) to and including the actual settlement date. Should settlement of a par senior loan purchase in the secondary market be delayed beyond the T+7 period prescribed by the LSTA, the Buyer is typically compensated for such delay through a payment from the seller of the senior loan (this payment may be netted from the wire released on settlement date for the purchase price of the senior loan paid by the Buyer). In brief, the adjustment is typically calculated by multiplying the notional amount of the trade by the applicable margin in the Loan Agreement prorated for the number of business days (calculated using a year of 360 days) beyond the settlement period prescribed by the LSTA, plus any amendment or consent fees that the buyer should have received. Furthermore, the purchase of a senior loan in the secondary market is typically negotiated and finalized pursuant to a binding trade confirmation, and therefore, the risk of non-delivery of the security to the Fund is reduced or eliminated when compared with such risk when investing in when-issued or forward commitment securities.
Other Fund Strategies
Short Sales
The Fund may engage in short sales of securities. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own as a means of attractive financing for purchasing other assets or in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. The Fund may make short sales for financing, for risk management, to maintain portfolio flexibility or to enhance income or gain.
When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any payments received on such borrowed securities.
The Fund’s obligation to replace the borrowed security may be secured by collateral deposited with the broker-dealer, usually cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities. The Fund may also be required to designate on its books and records similar collateral with its custodian to the extent, if any, necessary so that the aggregate collateral value is at all times at least equal to the current market value of the security sold short. Depending on arrangements made with the broker-dealer from which it borrowed the security regarding payment over of any payments received by the Fund on such security, the Fund may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral deposited with such broker-dealer.
Short selling involves a number of risks. If a security sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Fund may, but is not expected to, have substantial short positions and may engage in short sales where it does not own or have the immediate right to acquire the security sold short, and as such must borrow those securities to make delivery to the buyer under the short sale transaction. The Fund may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell related long positions earlier than it had expected. Thus, the Fund may not be able to successfully implement any short sale strategy it employs due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons. Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to the Fund.
Until the Fund replaces a security borrowed in connection with a short sale, it may be required to maintain a segregated account of cash or liquid assets with a broker or custodian to cover the Fund’s short position.
Generally, securities held in a segregated account cannot be sold unless they are replaced with other liquid assets. The Fund’s ability to access the pledged collateral may also be impaired in the event the broker becomes bankrupt, insolvent or otherwise fails to comply with the terms of the contract. In such instances, the Fund may not be able to substitute or sell the pledged collateral and may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. Additionally, the Fund must maintain sufficient liquid assets, less any additional collateral pledged to the broker, marked-to-market daily, to cover the borrowed securities obligations. This may limit the Fund’s investment flexibility, as well as its ability to meet other current obligations.
B-3 |
In times of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions, the Fund may not be able, fully or partially, to implement its short selling strategy. Periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions generally may exist for as long as six months and, in some cases, much longer.
Derivatives
General Limitations on Futures and Options Transactions. The Fund has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and the National Futures Association, which regulate trading in the futures markets. Pursuant to CFTC Regulation 4.5, the Fund is not subject to regulation as a commodity pool under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”).
Various exchanges and regulatory authorities have undertaken reviews of options and futures trading in light of market volatility. Among the possible actions that have been presented are proposals to adopt new or more stringent daily price fluctuation limits for futures and options transactions and proposals to increase the margin requirements for various types of futures transactions.
Asset Coverage for Futures and Options Positions. The Fund complies with the regulatory requirements of the SEC and the CFTC with respect to coverage of options and futures positions by registered investment companies and, if the guidelines so require, will segregate cash, U.S. government securities, high-grade liquid debt securities and/or other liquid assets permitted by the SEC and CFTC on the Fund’s records in the amount prescribed. Securities segregated on the Fund’s records cannot be sold while the futures or options position is outstanding, unless replaced with other permissible assets, and will be marked-to-market daily.
Options. The Fund may purchase put and call options on currencies or securities. A put option gives the purchaser the right to compel the writer of the option to purchase from the option holder an underlying currency or security or its equivalent at a specified price at any time during the option period. In contrast, a call option gives the purchaser the right to buy the underlying currency or security covered by the option or its equivalent from the writer of the option at the stated exercise price.
As a holder of a put option, the Fund will have the right to sell the currencies or securities underlying the option and as the holder of a call option, the Fund will have the right to purchase the currencies or securities underlying the option, in each case at their exercise price at any time prior to the option’s expiration date. The Fund may seek to terminate its option positions prior to their expiration by entering into closing transactions. The ability of the Fund to enter into a closing sale transaction depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market. There can be no assurance that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund so desires.
Certain Considerations Regarding Options. The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The purchase of options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities on which the option is based. Imperfect correlation between the options and securities markets may detract from the effectiveness of attempted hedging. Options transactions may result in significantly higher transaction costs and portfolio turnover for the Fund.
Some, but not all, of the Fund’s derivative instruments may be traded and listed on an exchange. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.
Futures Contracts. The Fund may enter into securities-related futures contracts, including security futures contracts, as an anticipatory hedge. The Fund’s derivative investments may include sales of futures as an offset against the effect of expected declines in securities prices and purchases of futures as an offset against the effect of expected
B-4 |
increases in securities prices. The Fund does not enter into futures contracts which are prohibited under the CEA and will, to the extent required by regulatory authorities, enter only into futures contracts that are traded on exchanges and are standardized as to maturity date and underlying financial instrument. A security futures contract is a legally binding agreement between two parties to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of a security or of the component securities of a narrow-based security index, at a certain price. A person who buys a security futures contract enters into a contract to purchase an underlying security and is said to be “long” the contract. A person who sells a security futures contract enters into a contract to sell the underlying security and is said to be “short” the contract. The price at which the contract trades (the “contract price”) is determined by relative buying and selling interest on a regulated exchange.
Transaction costs are incurred when a futures contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained. To enter into a security futures contract, the Fund must deposit funds with its custodian in the name of the futures commodities merchant equal to a specified percentage of the current market value of the contract as a performance bond. Moreover, all security futures contracts are marked-to-market at least daily, usually after the close of trading. At that time, the account of each buyer and seller reflects the amount of any gain or loss on the security futures contract based on the contract price established at the end of the day for settlement purposes.
An open position, either a long or short position, is closed or liquidated by entering into an offsetting transaction (i.e., an equal and opposite transaction to the one that opened the position) prior to the contract expiration. Traditionally, most futures contracts are liquidated prior to expiration through an offsetting transaction and, thus, holders do not incur a settlement obligation. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a gain will be realized; if it is more, a loss will be realized. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, a gain will be realized; if it is less, a loss will be realized. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. However, there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract and the Fund may not be able to realize a gain in the value of its future position or prevent losses from mounting. This inability to liquidate could occur, for example, if trading is halted due to unusual trading activity in either the security futures contract or the underlying security; if trading is halted due to recent news events involving the issuer of the underlying security; if systems failures occur on an exchange or at the firm carrying the position; or, if the position is on an illiquid market. Even if the Fund can liquidate its position, it may be forced to do so at a price that involves a large loss.
Under certain market conditions, it may also be difficult or impossible to manage the risk from open security futures positions by entering into an equivalent but opposite position in another contract month, on another market, or in the underlying security. This inability to take positions to limit the risk could occur, for example, if trading is halted across markets due to unusual trading activity in the security futures contract or the underlying security or due to recent news events involving the issuer of the underlying security.
There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures contract position. The Fund would continue to be required to meet margin requirements until the position is closed, possibly resulting in a decline in the Fund’s NAV. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.
Security futures contracts that are not liquidated prior to expiration must be settled in accordance with the terms of the contract. Depending on the terms of the contract, some security futures contracts are settled by physical delivery of the underlying security. At the expiration of a security futures contract that is settled through physical delivery, a person who is long the contract must pay the final settlement price set by the regulated exchange or the clearing organization and take delivery of the underlying securities. Conversely, a person who is short the contract must make delivery of the underlying securities in exchange for the final settlement price. Settlement with physical delivery may involve additional costs.
Depending on the terms of the contract, other security futures contracts are settled through cash settlement. In this case, the underlying security is not delivered. Instead, any positions in such security futures contracts that are open at the end of the last trading day are settled through a final cash payment based on a final settlement price
B-5 |
determined by the exchange or clearing organization. Once this payment is made, neither party has any further obligations on the contract.
As noted above, margin is the amount of funds that must be deposited by the Fund to initiate futures trading and to maintain the Fund’s open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to ensure the Fund’s performance of the futures contract. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the futures contract is traded and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the futures contract.
If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to the Fund. In computing daily NAV, the Fund marks to market the current value of its open futures contracts. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.
Because of the low margin deposits required, futures contracts trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in an immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount initially invested in the futures contract. However, the Fund would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline.
In addition to the foregoing, imperfect correlation between futures contracts and the underlying securities may prevent the Fund from achieving the intended hedge or expose the Fund to risk of loss. Under certain market conditions, the prices of security futures contracts may not maintain their customary or anticipated relationships to the prices of the underlying security or index. These pricing disparities could occur, for example, when the market for the security futures contract is illiquid, when the primary market for the underlying security is closed, or when the reporting of transactions in the underlying security has been delayed.
In addition, the value of a position in security futures contracts could be affected if trading is halted in either the security futures contract or the underlying security. In certain circumstances, regulated exchanges are required by law to halt trading in security futures contracts. For example, trading on a particular security futures contract must be halted if trading is halted on the listed market for the underlying security as a result of pending news, regulatory concerns or market volatility. Similarly, trading of a security futures contract on a narrow-based security index must be halted under circumstances where trading is halted on securities accounting for at least 50% of the market capitalization of the index. In addition, regulated exchanges are required to halt trading in all security futures contracts for a specified period of time when the Dow Jones Industrial Average experiences one-day declines of 10%, 20% and 30%. The regulated exchanges may also have discretion under their rules to halt trading in other circumstances, such as when the exchange determines that the halt would be advisable in maintaining a fair and orderly market.
A trading halt, either by a regulated exchange that trades security futures or an exchange trading the underlying security or instrument, could prevent the Fund from liquidating a position in security futures contracts in a timely manner, which could expose the Fund to a loss.
Each regulated exchange trading a security futures contract may also open and close for trading at different times than other regulated exchanges trading security futures contracts or markets trading the underlying security or securities. Trading in security futures contracts prior to the opening or after the close of the primary market for the underlying security may be less liquid than trading during regular market hours.
Swap Agreements. The Fund may enter into swap agreements. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns, differentials in rates of return or some other amount earned or realized on the “notional
B-6 |
amount” of predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. Some swaps are structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors, such as interest rates, commodity prices, non-U.S. currency rates, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, security prices, indexes or inflation rates. Swap agreements may be negotiated bilaterally and traded OTC between two parties or, in some instances, must be transacted through a futures commission merchant and cleared through a clearinghouse that serves as a central counterparty. Certain risks are reduced (but not eliminated) if a fund invests in cleared swaps. Certain standardized swaps, including certain credit default swaps, are subject to mandatory clearing, and more are expected to be in the future. The counterparty risk for cleared derivatives is generally lower than for uncleared derivatives, but cleared contracts are not risk-free.
Swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund’s investments and the price of Fund Shares. The performance of swap agreements may be affected by a change in the specific interest rate, currency or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from the Fund. If a swap agreement calls for payments by the Fund, the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. In addition, if the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses.
Generally, swap agreements have fixed maturity dates that are agreed upon by the parties to the swap. The agreement can be terminated before the maturity date only under limited circumstances, such as default by or insolvency of one of the parties and can be transferred by a party only with the prior written consent of the other party. The Fund may be able to eliminate its exposure under a swap agreement either by assignment or other disposition, or by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same party or a similarly creditworthy party. If the counterparty is unable to meet its obligations under the contract, declares bankruptcy, defaults or becomes insolvent, the Fund may not be able to recover the money it expected to receive under the contract.
A swap agreement can be a form of leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s gains or losses. To reduce the risk associated with leveraging, the Fund will segregate assets equal to the full notional value of the swap agreements, unless future SEC staff guidance permits asset segregation to a lesser extent.
The use of swaps can cause the Fund to be subject to additional regulatory requirements, which may generate additional Fund expenses.
The Fund monitors any swaps with a view towards ensuring that the Fund remains in compliance with all applicable regulatory, investment and tax requirements.
Equity Swaps. In a typical equity swap, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a security, security index or basket of securities in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, the index receiver can gain exposure to securities making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those securities. Equity index swaps involve not only the risk associated with investment in the securities represented in the index, but also the risk that the performance of such securities, including dividends, will not exceed the interest that the Fund will be committed to pay under the swap.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio investments subject to the investment restrictions set forth herein. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it may designate on its books and records liquid instruments having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the Fund establishes and maintains such a segregated account, a reverse repurchase agreement will not be considered a borrowing by the Fund; however, under certain circumstances in which the Fund does not establish and maintain such a segregated account, such reverse repurchase agreement will be considered a borrowing for the purpose of the Fund’s limitation on borrowings. The use by the Fund of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same risks of leverage since the proceeds derived from such reverse repurchase agreements may be invested in additional securities. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities acquired in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obligated to
B-7 |
repurchase. Also, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline in price.
If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. Also, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the securities subject to such agreement.
Securities Lending
To the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the Fund may make secured loans of its marginable securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions; provided, however, that the value of such loaned securities may not exceed one-third of the Fund’s total asset value, including collateral received in respect of such loans. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consist of possible delay in recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. However, such loans will be made only to broker-dealers and other financial institutions that are believed by the Advisers to be of relatively high credit standing. Loans of securities are made to broker-dealers pursuant to agreements requiring that such loans be continuously secured by collateral consisting of U.S. government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal at all times to the market value of the securities lent. The borrower pays to the Fund, as the lender, an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on the securities lent. The collateral must have a market value at least equal to 100% of the market value of the loaned securities at all times during the duration of the loan. The Fund invests the cash collateral received in accordance with its investment objective, subject to the Fund’s agreement with the borrower of the securities. In the case of cash collateral, the Fund typically pays a rebate to the borrower. The reinvestment of cash collateral will result in a form of effective leverage for the Fund. Although voting rights or rights to consent with respect to the loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Fund, as the lender, retains the right to call the loans and obtain the return of the securities loaned at any time on reasonable notice, and it will do so in order that the securities may be voted by the Fund if the holders of such securities are asked to vote upon or consent to matters materially affecting the Fund’s investment. The Fund may also call such loans to sell the securities involved. When engaged in securities lending, the Fund’s performance will continue to reflect changes in the value of the securities loaned and will also reflect the receipt of interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments.
Additional Energy Industry Risks
Operational and Catastrophe Risks. The operations of energy companies are subject to many hazards and force majeure events inherent in the production and delivery of electricity, exploration and operation of gas and oil fields, transportation of energy products and other related activities including: damage to production, generation facilities, pipelines, storage tanks or related equipment and surrounding properties caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, blowouts, cratering, uncontrollable flows of oil, natural gas or well fluids, fires and other natural disasters or by acts of terrorism; inadvertent damage from construction and farm equipment; leaks of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined petroleum products or other hydrocarbons; and fires and explosions. Any offshore sea-based operations of investments will be subject to a variety of operating risks peculiar to the marine environment, such as hurricanes or other adverse weather conditions. These risks could result in substantial losses due to personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property and equipment and pollution or other environmental damage and may result in the curtailment or suspension of their related operations. Public awareness of such risk, potential publicity and related reputational risk to the operators and owners of such facilities have been significantly amplified by recent coal mine accidents in West Virginia and Deepwater Horizon offshore rig. There can be no assurance that all portfolio companies will be fully insured against all risks inherent to their businesses. If a significant accident or event occurs that is not fully insured, it could adversely affect a portfolio company’s operations and financial condition. The Fund may seek to maintain insurance coverage for the operations of its investments, but insurance coverage for environmental damages that occur over time or insurance coverage for the full potential liability that could be caused by sudden environmental damages may not be available at a reasonable cost, and the Fund may be subject to liability or may lose substantial portions of its properties in the event of certain environmental damages.
B-8 |
New Technology Risk. Historically, technology changes in the energy sector have resulted in gradual incremental improvements with no disruptive technology impacts. However, there are currently a number of scientific research institutions (including those supported by major venture capital firms and corporations) seeking to develop disruptive technologies designed to reduce dependence upon large scale fossil fuel generation. In the event that a disruptive technology in the power generation sector is successfully developed and implemented, the Fund’s investments might be adversely affected. While the Fund’s investments may benefit from such technologies, there can be no assurance that technology innovation will not favor companies of a type not held by the Fund, which would place the Fund in a competitive disadvantage and drive down the value of its assets.
Documentation and Other Legal Risk. Energy and energy generation and related projects are typically governed by complex legal agreements. As a result, there is a higher risk of dispute over interpretation or enforceability of the agreements. It is not uncommon for energy generation and related infrastructure assets to be exposed to a variety of other legal risks including, but not limited to, legal action from special interest groups. Interest groups may use legal processes to seek to impede particular projects to which they are opposed.
Sovereign Risk. The right of certain portfolio investments to extract mineral resources, generate, deliver or sell energy or related services and equipment may be granted by, or derive from approval by, governmental entities and are subject to special risks, including the risk that the relevant governmental entity will exercise sovereign rights and take actions contrary to the rights of the Fund or the relevant portfolio investment under the relevant agreement. There can be no assurance that the relevant governmental entity will not legislate, impose regulations or change applicable laws or act contrary to the law in a way that would materially and adversely affect the business of any portfolio investment.
Effects of Ongoing Changes in the Utility Industry. The Fund may make certain investments in electric utility industries both in the United States and abroad. In many regions, including the United States, the electric utility industry is experiencing increasing competitive pressures, primarily in wholesale markets, as a result of consumer demands, technological advances, greater availability of natural gas and other factors. To the extent competitive pressures increase and the pricing and sale of electricity assume more characteristics of a commodity business, the economics of independent power generation projects into which the Fund may invest may come under increasing pressure. Deregulation is fueling the current trend toward consolidation among domestic utilities, but also the disaggregation of many vertically integrated utilities into separate generation, transmission and distribution businesses. As a result, additional significant competitors could become active in the independent power industry. In addition, independent power producers may find it increasingly difficult to negotiate long-term power sales agreements with solvent utilities, which may affect the profitability and financial stability of independent power projects.
Involuntary Repurchases and Mandatory Redemptions
The Fund, consistent with the requirements of the Fund’s Declaration of Trust, the provisions of the 1940 Act and rules thereunder, including Rule 23c-2, has the right to repurchase or redeem Shares of a Shareholder or any person acquiring Shares from or through a Shareholder under certain circumstances, including:
• | ownership of Shares by a Shareholder or other person will cause the Fund to be in violation of, or subject the Fund to additional registration or regulation under, the securities, commodities or other laws of the U.S. or any other relevant jurisdiction; |
• | continued ownership of such Shares may be harmful or injurious to the business or reputation of the Fund or the Advisers, or may subject the Fund or any Shareholder to an undue risk of adverse tax or other fiscal consequences; |
• | any of the representations and warranties made by a Shareholder in connection with the acquisition of Shares was not true when made or has ceased to be true; or |
• | it would be in the best interests of the Fund to repurchase or redeem Shares. |
B-9 |
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS |
FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Fund may not:
(1) | Purchase or sell real estate, commodities or commodity contracts, except that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund may (i) invest in securities directly or indirectly secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by entities that invest in real estate or interests therein; (ii) acquire, hold and sell real estate acquired through default, liquidation, or other distributions of an interest in real estate as a result of the Fund’s ownership of other assets; (iii) invest in instruments directly or indirectly secured by commodities or securities issued by entities that invest in or hold such commodities and acquire temporarily commodities as a result thereof; and (iv) purchase and sell forward contracts, financial futures contracts and options thereon; |
(2) | Issue senior securities or borrow money except as permitted by Section 18 of the 1940 Act or otherwise as permitted by applicable law; |
(3) | Underwrite securities of other issuers, except insofar as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act in selling its own securities or portfolio securities; |
(4) | Make loans to other persons, except that (i) the Fund will not be deemed to be making a loan to the extent that the Fund makes debt investments in accordance with its stated investment strategies; (ii) the Fund may take short positions in any security or financial instrument; and (iii) the Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not in excess of 331/3% of its total assets, taken at market value, provided that such loans shall be made in accordance with applicable law; and |
(5) | Invest more than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of each investment) in the securities of issuers in any one industry; provided that securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities and tax-exempt securities of governments or their political subdivisions will not be considered to represent an industry (other than those securities backed only by the assets and revenues of non-governmental users with respect to which the Fund will not invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of each investment) in securities backed by the same source of revenue). The Fund determines industries by reference to the Global Industry Classification Standard as it may be amended from time to time. |
The Fund will treat with respect to participation interests both the financial intermediary and the borrower as “issuers” for purposes of fundamental investment restriction (5).
In addition, the Fund has adopted a fundamental policy that it will make quarterly repurchase offers pursuant to Rule 23c-3 of the 1940 Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, for between 5% and 25% of the Shares outstanding at NAV, unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements, and each repurchase pricing shall occur no later than the 14th day after the Repurchase Request Deadline (as defined in the Prospectus), or the next business day if the 14th day is not a business day.
The fundamental investment limitations set forth above restrict the ability of the Fund to engage in certain practices and purchase securities and other instruments other than as permitted by, or consistent with, applicable law, including the 1940 Act. Relevant limitations of the 1940 Act as they presently exist are described below. These limitations are based either on the 1940 Act itself, the rules or regulations thereunder or applicable orders of the SEC. In addition, interpretations and guidance provided by the SEC staff may be taken into account to determine if a certain practice or the purchase of securities or other instruments is permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or applicable orders of the SEC. As a result, the foregoing fundamental investment policies may be interpreted differently over time as the statute, rules, regulations or orders (or, if applicable, interpretations)
B-10 |
that relate to the meaning and effect of these policies change, and no vote of Shareholders, as applicable, will be required or sought.
NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The Fund is also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed by the Board of Trustees without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Fund may not:
(1) Change or alter the Fund’s investment objective or 80% policy;
(2) Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent that such purchases are permitted by applicable law, including any exemptive orders issued by the SEC; and
(3) | Purchase any securities on margin except as may be necessary in connection with transactions described under “Investment Objective, Policies and Risks” above and except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio investments (the deposit or payment by the Fund of initial or variation margin in connection with swaps, forward contracts and financial futures contracts and options thereon is not considered the purchase of a security on margin). |
Compliance with any policy or limitation of the Fund that is expressed as a percentage of assets is determined at the time of purchase of portfolio securities. The policy will not be violated if these limitations are exceeded because of changes in the market value or investment rating of the Fund’s assets or if a borrower distributes equity securities incident to the purchase or ownership of a portfolio investment or in connection with a reorganization of a borrower. The Fund interprets its policies with respect to borrowing and lending to permit such activities as may be lawful for the Fund, to the full extent permitted by the 1940 Act or by exemption from the provisions therefrom pursuant to an exemptive order of the SEC.
B-11 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND |
The
Fund’s business and affairs are managed under the direction of the Board. The Board currently consists of four members, three
of whom are not “interested persons” of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. The Fund refers
to these individuals as its independent trustees. The Board annually elects the Fund’s officers, who serve at the discretion
of the Board. The Board maintains an audit committee, a nominating and governance committee and an independent trustees committee
and may establish additional committees from time to time as necessary.
Board of Trustees and Officers
Trustees
Information regarding the members of the Board is set forth below. The Trustees have been divided into two groups—Interested Trustees and Independent Trustees. As set forth in the Fund’s declaration of trust, each Trustee’s term of office shall continue until his or her death, resignation or removal.
Name, address(1) and age |
Position(s) Held with the Trust |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served2 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee |
Other Directorships Held by Trustee | |||
Interested Trustee(2) | ||||||||
Kamal Bhatia (1972) | Trustee | Indefinite Length – Since Inception | Senior Vice President, OppenheimerFunds.Distributor, Inc. | 1 | None | |||
Independent Trustees | ||||||||
Mark Garbin (1951) | Trustee | Indefinite Length – Since Inception | Managing Principal, Coherent Capital Management LLC (since 2008) | 1 | Independent Trustee of Two Roads Shared Trust (since 2012), Forethought Variable Insurance Trust (since 2013), Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2013), Northern Lights Variable Trust (since 2013) and Altegris KKR Master Commitments Fund (since 2014) and Independent Director of Oak Hill Advisors Mortgage Strategies Fund (offshore), Ltd. (2015-2017) | |||
Sanjeev Handa (1961)
|
Trustee | Indefinite Length – Since Inception | Managing Member, Old Orchard Lane, LLC (since 2014). | 1 | None | |||
Joan McCabe (1955)
|
Trustee | Indefinite Length – Since Inception | CEO/Founder, Lipotriad LLC (since 2015); and Managing Partner, Brynwood Partners (2000-2014) | 1 | None | |||
(1) | The address of each Trustee is care of the Secretary of the Fund at 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281-1008. | |||||||
(2) | “Interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Fund. Mr. Bhatia is an interested person of the Fund due to his affiliation with the Adviser. | |||||||
B-12 |
Officers |
Name, address(1) and age |
Position(s) Held with |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Kamal Bhatia (1972) |
President and Principal Executive Officer
|
Indefinite Length – Since Inception
|
Senior Vice President, OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (since 2011); Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, OC Private Capital, LLC (since 2017) |
Julie Burley (1981)
|
Vice President and Treasurer; Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer
|
Indefinite Length – Since Inception
|
Vice President, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (since 2013); Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche LLP (2010-2013) |
Joseph Benedetti (1965) | Vice President and Secretary; Chief Legal Officer |
Indefinite Length – Since Inception
|
Senior Vice President and Managing Counsel, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (since 2017); Secretary, OFI Global Trust Company (since 2017); Assistant Secretary, OC Private Capital, LLC (since 2017); Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (2005-2017)
|
Stephen Volpe (1980) | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer | Indefinite Length – Since Inception |
Chief Compliance Officer, OC Private Capital, LLC (since 2017); Vice President, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (since 2015); Executive Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (2004-2015)
|
Jennifer Foxson (1969) |
Vice President and Chief Business Officer
|
Indefinite Length – Since Inception |
Senior Vice President and Assistant Secretary, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (since 2018); Senior Vice President, OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (2014-2017); Secretary, OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (2017); Assistant Secretary, Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. (since 2017); Secretary, OFI SteelPath, Inc. (since 2017); Secretary, OFI Global Institutional, Inc. (since 2017); Secretary, OFI International, Ltd. (since 2017); Secretary, HarbourView Asset Management Corporation (since 2017); Assistant Secretary, OFI Global Trust Company (since 2017); Secretary, Seattle Northwest Asset Management LLC (since 2017); Secretary, Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (since 2017); Secretary, OFI Private Investments Inc. (since 2017); Secretary, Shareholder Services, Inc. (since 2017); Secretary, Trinity Investment Management Corporation (Since July 2017); Secretary, OFI Advisors, LLC (since 2017); Secretary, Index Management Solutions, LLC (since July 2017); Secretary, OC Private Capital, LLC (since 2017)
|
Christina Zervoudakis (1981) | Vice President and Assistant Secretary | Indefinite Length – Since Inception |
Vice President, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (since 2017); Assistant Secretary, OC Private Capital, LLC (since 2017); Assistant Secretary, OFI Global Trust Company (since 2017); Executive Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (2013-2017)
|
B-13 |
Jan Miller (1963) | Vice President and Assistant Treasurer | Indefinite Length – Since Inception |
Treasurer, OFI Global Trust Company (since 2018); Vice President, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (since 2014); Assistant Vice President, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (2013-2014); Assistant Vice President, OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (November 2004-December 2012)
|
Eric Hall (1978) | Vice President and Assistant Treasurer | Indefinite Length – Since Inception | Assistant Vice President, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (since 2015); Vice President and Director of Fund Administration, State Street Bank (2000-2015) |
(1) | The address of each officer is care of the Secretary of the Fund at 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281-1008. |
Biographical Information and Discussion of Experience and Qualifications, etc.
Trustees |
The following is a summary of the experience, qualifications, attributes and skills of each Trustee that support the conclusion, as of the date of this Statement of Additional Information, that each Trustee should serve as a Trustee of the Fund.
Interested Trustee
Kamal Bhatia. Kamal Bhatia is Chairman and CEO of the Adviser and Vice-Chairman and a voting member of the PAAC. He also serves as a team leader for the Investment Products and Solutions group at OppenheimerFunds, Inc. in New York focused on strategic initiatives and investment partnerships globally. He is responsible for the private capital business at OFI. Prior to joining OFI, Kamal served as Managing Director for Alternatives at TIAA-CREF asset management. Previously, he served as First Vice President for Mellon Institutional Asset Management. He started his career with the Global Corporate and Investment Banking Group at Citigroup.
Kamal holds a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (India) and a M.S. from Washington University in St. Louis as a Sever Fellowship Scholar. He is also a CFA charterholder.
Independent Trustees
Mark Garbin. Mark Garbin has over 20 years of experience in corporate balance sheet and income statement risk management for large asset managers. Mr. Garbin has extensive derivatives experience and has provided consulting services to alternative asset managers. Mr. Garbin is a CFA Charterholder and holds advanced degrees in international business, negotiation and derivatives.
Sanjeev Handa. Sanjeev Handa has over 30 years of experience in the financial industry sector, including global experience in the financial, real estate and securitization markets. Mr. Handa is also a board member of Greenpath Financial Wellness (since 2017), Fitch Ratings, Inc. and certain of its affiliates thereof (since 2015) and the Cameron Kravitt Foundation. Mr. Handa also serves as a member of the Investment Committee of the board of The Cooper Union for Advancement of Science and Art (since 2016). Mr. Handa has extensive experience with respect to investments and also to compliance and corporate governance matters as a result of, among other things, his service as an established board member.
B-14 |
Joan McCabe. Joan McCabe has over 30 years of corporate and accounting experience, including overseeing the allocation of investment portfolios for various client types and evaluating financial statements. Ms. McCabe is also a board member of Elevation Brands (since 2017), Sensible Organics (since 2017) and Goodwill International (since 2015). Ms. McCabe has served as a board member to a variety of companies and her diverse experience and financial background, among other things, qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
Board structure and role of the Board in risk oversight
The 1940 Act requires that at least 40% of the trustees be independent trustees. Certain exemptive rules promulgated under the 1940 Act require that at least 50% of the trustees be independent trustees. Currently, three of the four Trustees (75%) are Independent Trustees. The independent trustees exercise their informed business judgment to appoint an individual of their choosing to serve as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, regardless of whether the trustee happens to be independent or a member of management. The Board of Trustees has determined that its leadership structure, in which the Chairman of the Board of Trustees is an interested person of the Fund, is appropriate because the Independent Trustees believe that an interested Chairman has a personal and professional stake in the quality and continuity of services provided by management to the Fund. The independent trustees have determined that they can act independently and effectively without having an independent trustee serve as Chairman and that a key factor for assuring that they are in a position to do so is for the trustees who are independent of management to constitute a majority of the Board. Mark Garbin is the lead independent trustee.
The Board expects to perform its risk oversight function primarily through (a) its three standing committees, which report to the entire Board and are comprised solely of independent trustees and (b) monitoring by the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer in accordance with the Fund’s compliance policies and procedures.
Committees of the Board
The Board has established an audit committee, a nominating and governance committee and an independent trustees committee. The Fund does not have a compensation committee because its officers do not receive any direct compensation from the Fund.
Audit Committee. The members of the audit committee are Mark Garbin, Sanjeev Handa, and Joan McCabe, each of whom is independent for purposes of the 1940 Act. Sanjeev Handa serves as chairman of the audit committee. The audit committee is responsible for approving the Fund’s independent accountants, reviewing with the Fund’s independent accountants the plans and results of the audit engagement, approving professional services provided by the Fund’s independent accountants, reviewing the independence of the Fund’s independent accountants and reviewing the adequacy of the Fund’s internal accounting controls.
Nominating and Governance Committee. The members of the nominating and governance committee are Mark Garbin, Sanjeev Handa, and Joan McCabe, each of whom is independent for purposes of the 1940 Act. Joan McCabe serves as chairman of the nominating and governance committee. The nominating and governance committee is responsible for selecting, researching and nominating trustees for election by the Fund’s shareholders, selecting nominees to fill vacancies on the Board or a committee of the Board Trustees, developing and recommending to the Board a set of corporate governance principles and overseeing the evaluation of the Board and its committees.
The nominating and governance committee may consider recommendations for nomination of individuals for election as trustees from shareholders.
Independent Trustees Committee. The members of the independent trustees committee are Mark Garbin, Sanjeev Handa, and Joan McCabe, each of whom is independent for purposes of the 1940 Act. Mark Garbin serves as chairman of the independent trustees committee. The independent trustees committee is responsible for reviewing and making certain findings in respect of co-investment transactions pursuant to exemptive relief received from the SEC.
B-15 |
Trustee Beneficial Ownership of Shares
Prior to the date of this SAI, the Fund had not commenced operations. Accordingly, no Trustee beneficially owned any shares of the Fund.
Name of Trustee | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(1) |
||
Interested Trustee | |||
Kamal Bhatia | None | ||
Independent Trustees | |||
Mark Garbin | None | ||
Sanjeev Handa | None | ||
Joan McCabe | None |
(1) | Dollar ranges are as follows: None, $1–$10,000, $10,001–$50,000, $50,001–$100,000, $100,001–$500,000, $500,001–$1,000,000 or Over $1,000,000. |
Compensation of Trustees
The Independent Trustees are paid an annual retainer of $35,000. The chairman of each committee is also paid an additional annual fee of $5,000. All Trustees are reimbursed for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The Trustees do not receive any pension or retirement benefits from the Fund.
The following table shows information regarding the estimated compensation to be earned by the Trustees, none of whom is an employee of the Fund, for services as a trustee for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018. The Trustees who are not “interested persons”, as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Fund and the Fund’s officers do not receive compensation from the Fund.
Name of Trustee | Aggregate Compensation from the Fund |
|||
Interested Trustee | ||||
Kamal Bhatia | None | |||
Independent Trustees | ||||
Mark Garbin | $40,000 | |||
Sanjeev Handa | $40,000 | |||
Joan McCabe | $40,000 |
Shareholder Communications
Shareholders may send communications to the Board. Shareholders should send communications intended for the Board by addressing the communication directly to the Board (or individual Trustees) and/or otherwise clearly indicating in the salutation that the communication is for the Board (or individual Trustees) and by sending the communication to the Fund’s office at 6803 South Tucson Way, Centennial, Colorado 80112-3924. Other Shareholder communications received by the Fund not directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and generally responded to by management, and will be forwarded to the Board only at management’s discretion based on the matters contained therein.
Codes of Ethics
The Fund, the Advisers and OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. have each adopted a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that establishes procedures for personal investments and restrict certain personal securities transactions. Personnel subject to these codes may invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, so long as such investments are made in accordance with the applicable code’s requirements. The codes of ethics are included as exhibits to the registration
B-16 |
statement of which this Statement of Additional Information forms a part. Shareholders may also read and copy these codes of ethics at the SEC’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. Shareholders may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. In addition, the codes of ethics are available on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Shareholders may also obtain copies of each code of ethics, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549-0102.
The Adviser and Sub-Adviser
OC Private Capital, an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. CGCIM, an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Advisers Act, serves as the Fund’s investment sub-adviser. For more information regarding OC Private Capital and CGCIM, see “The Adviser and Sub-Adviser” in the Prospectus. For more information on the services provided by the Advisers to the Fund, see “Management of the Fund” in the Prospectus.
The Investment Advisory Agreement was approved by the Board and became effective on May 24, 2018. The Sub-Advisory Agreement was approved by the Board and became effective on May 24, 2018. Following an initial two-year term, the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement will each continue in effect for successive periods of twelve months, provided that each continuance is specifically approved at least annually by both (1) the vote of a majority of the Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding securities of the Fund entitled to vote and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. In addition, the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement have termination provisions that allow the parties to terminate the agreement without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by the Advisers upon 60 days’ notice to the Fund, as applicable.
Portfolio Management
Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers
The portfolio managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund also manage other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts, as indicated below. The following table identifies, as of March 31, 2018: (i) the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by each portfolio manager; (ii) the total assets of such companies, vehicles and accounts; and (iii) the number and total assets of such companies, vehicles and accounts that are subject to an advisory fee based on performance.
Number of Accounts |
Assets of Accounts (in billions) |
Number of Accounts Subject to a Performance Fee |
Assets Subject to a Performance Fee (in billions) |
|||||||||||||
Justin Plouffe | ||||||||||||||||
Registered Investment Companies | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 1 | $ | 0.84 | 1 | $ | 0.84 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Linda Pace | ||||||||||||||||
Registered Investment Companies | 0 | $ | 0 | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||||||||
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles | 28 | $ | 14.22 | 28 | $ | 14.22 | ||||||||||
Other Accounts | 1 | $ | 0.07 | 0 | $ | 0 |
Compensation of Portfolio Managers
Portfolio managers are compensated with an annual salary and a discretionary year-end annual bonus, the amount of which is based on a multitude of quantitative and qualitative factors and are benchmarked against peers and local markets. Depending on seniority within the firm, portfolio managers also may be eligible to receive performance fees from private funds that they manage that vest over time. Performance fees can make up a significant portion of
B-17 |
a portfolio manager’s overall compensation, and primarily are based on the investment performance of the private funds managed by the portfolio manager. This compensation structure aligns a portfolio manager’s and investors’ long-term interests and helps the Sub-Adviser retain talented investment personnel. Portfolio managers also may receive discretionary compensation through awards under the Sub-Adviser’s equity incentive plan.
Securities Ownership of Portfolio Managers
Prior to the date of this SAI, the Fund had not commenced operations. Accordingly, no portfolio manager beneficially owned any shares of the Fund.
Name | Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(1) | |
Justin Plouffe | None | |
Linda Pace | None |
(1) | Dollar ranges are as follows: None, $1–$10,000, $10,001–$50,000, $50,001–$100,000, $100,001–$500,000, $500,001–$1,000,000 or Over $1,000,000. |
B-18 |
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS |
Since the Fund generally
acquires and disposes of its investments in privately negotiated transactions, it infrequently uses brokers in the normal course
of business.
Subject to policies established by the Fund’s Board, the Sub-Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of any traded securities in the Fund’s portfolio and the Fund’s allocation of brokerage commissions. The Sub-Adviser does not expect to execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but seeks to obtain the best net results for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, and operations facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities.
While the Sub-Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive trade execution costs, the Fund will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to applicable legal requirements, the Sub-Adviser may select a broker based partly upon brokerage or research services provided to the Sub-Adviser and the Fund and any other clients. In return for such services, the Fund may pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.
B-19 |
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROXY VOTING RECORD |
The Fund has delegated its proxy voting
responsibility to the Sub-Adviser. The proxy voting policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser are set forth below. The guidelines
are reviewed periodically by the Sub-Adviser and the Independent Trustees and, accordingly, are subject to change.
It is the policy of the Fund to delegate the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund to the Fund’s Sub-Adviser as a part of the Sub-Adviser’s general management of the Fund’s portfolio, subject to the continuing oversight of the Board. The Board has delegated such responsibility to the Sub-Adviser, and directs the Sub-Adviser to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund consistent with the proxy voting policies and procedures. The Sub-Adviser may retain one or more vendors to review, monitor and recommend how to vote proxies in a manner consistent with the proxy voting policies and procedures, to ensure that such proxies are voted on a timely basis and to provide reporting and/or record retention services in connection with proxy voting for the Fund.
The right to vote a proxy with respect to portfolio securities held by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The Sub-Adviser, to which authority to vote on behalf of the Fund is delegated, acts as a fiduciary of the Fund and must vote proxies in a manner consistent with the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders. In discharging this fiduciary duty, the Sub-Adviser must maintain and adhere to its policies and procedures for addressing conflicts of interest and must vote proxies in a manner substantially consistent with its policies, procedures and guidelines, as presented to the Board.
The Fund shall file an annual report of each proxy voted with respect to portfolio securities of the Fund during the twelve-month period ended June 30 on Form N-PX not later than August 31 of each year.
B-20 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES |
As the Fund had not commenced operations
as of June 1, 2018, and except as noted below, the Fund does not know of any persons who own of record or beneficially 5% or more
of any class of the Fund’s shares as of that date.
OFI and TC Group Cayman Investment Holdings, L.P., an affiliate of Carlyle, have provided, or are expected to provide prior to the commencement of operations, the initial investments in the Fund. For so long as OFI or TC Group Cayman Investment Holdings, L.P. has a greater than 25% interest in the Fund, they respectively may be deemed to be a “control person” of the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act.
B-21 |
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM |
An independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund performs an annual audit of the Fund’s financial statements. The Board has engaged Ernst & Young LLP, located at 5 Times Square, New York, NY 10036, to serve as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.
LEGAL COUNSEL |
The Board has engaged Dechert LLP, located at 1095 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036 to serve as the Fund’s legal counsel.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
A registration statement on Form N-2,
including amendments thereto, relating to the Shares offered hereby, has been filed by the Fund with the SEC. The Prospectus and
this Statement of Additional Information do not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, including
any exhibits and schedules thereto. For further information with respect to the Fund and the Shares offered hereby, reference is
made to the registration statement. A copy of the registration statement may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference
Room located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549 or on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. Prospective
investors can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s
e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov) or by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.
B-22 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
The Board of Trustees and Shareholders of
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund (the Fund) as of May 8, 2018, and the related statements of operations, and changes in net assets for the period from May 7, 2018 (date of inception) to May 8, 2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund at May 8, 2018, and the results of its operations and changes in net assets for the period from May 7, 2018 (date of inception) to May 8, 2018, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Fund’s auditor since 2018.
New York, NY
May 24, 2018
F-1 |
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund | ||
Statement of Assets and Liabilities | ||
May 8, 2018 | ||
ASSETS: | ||
Cash | $ | 100,000 |
Accrued Organizational Costs Due from Adviser | 250,430 | |
Deferred Offering Costs | 366,221 | |
Total Assets | 716,651 | |
LIABILITIES: | ||
Accrued Organizational Costs payable | 250,430 | |
Accrued Offering Costs payable to Adviser (Note 3) | 366,221 | |
Total Liabilities | 616,651 | |
Net Assets | $ | 100,000 |
COMPOSITION OF NET ASSETS: | ||
Par value of shares of beneficial interest | $ | 10 |
Additional paid-in capital | 99,990 | |
Net Assets | $ | 100,000 |
Shares | ||
NET ASSETS | $ | 100,000 |
Shares of Beneficial Interest Outstanding, $0.001 par value, unlimited shares authorized | 10,000 | |
NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE (net assets divided by Shares) | $ | 10.00 |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements |
F-2 |
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund | ||
Statement of Operations | ||
For the period from May 07, 2018 (date of inception) through May 08, 2018 | ||
INVESTMENT INCOME: | $ | - |
EXPENSES: | ||
Organizational Costs | 453,433 | |
Less: Reimbursement from Adviser (Note 3) | (453,433) | |
NET INVESTMENT INCOME | $ | - |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements |
F-3 |
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund | ||
Statement of Changes in Net Assets | ||
For the period from May 07, 2018 (date of inception) through May 08, 2018 | ||
Operations | ||
Net Investment Income | $ | - |
Beneficial Interest Transactions | ||
Net increase in net assets resulting from beneficial interest transactions: | ||
Shares | 100,000 | |
Net Assets | ||
Total Increase | 100,000 | |
Beginning of Period | - | |
End of Period | $ | 100,000 |
See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements |
F-4 |
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1. Organization
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) was organized as a business trust in the State of Delaware on December 13, 2017 as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund engages in a continuous offering of shares and operates as an interval fund that will offer to make quarterly repurchases of shares at net asset value.
The Fund has been inactive except for matters relating to the Fund’s organization and the sale and proceeds from the issuance of shares of beneficial interest to OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (“OFI”) , on May 07, 2018 (date of inception), as noted in the table below:
Fund | Shares | Net Asset Value |
OFI Carlyle Private Credit Fund | 10,000 | $10.00 |
The Fund’s investment adviser, OC Private Capital, LLC, (“OC Private Capital” or the “Adviser”), a joint venture between an affiliate of OFI and Carlyle Investment Management L.L.C. (“Carlyle”), has entered into an investment advisory agreement with the Fund. The Adviser has, in turn, entered into a sub-advisory agreement with Carlyle Global Credit Investment Management L.L.C. (“CGCIM” or “Sub-Adviser”), whereby OC Private Capital oversees the allocation of the Fund’s assets to its underlying credit strategies, and the Sub-Adviser sources and makes investment decisions within each strategy. OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (the “Distributor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of OFI, acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter.
The Fund seeks to produce current income by opportunistically allocating its assets across a wide range of credit strategies.
The Fund’s Shares are offered for sale through its Distributor at then-current NAV plus the applicable sales load. The price of the Shares during the Fund’s continuous offering will fluctuate over time with the NAV of the Shares. The sales load payable by each investor depends upon the amount invested by such investor in the Fund, but may range from 0.00% to 3.50%.
Note 2. Significant Accounting Policies
The Fund’s financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which may require the use of management estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 Financial Services- Investment Companies.
The Fund’s organizational costs include, among other things, the cost of organizing as a Delaware statutory trust, including the cost of legal services and other fees pertaining to the Fund’s organization, as well as audit fees related to the initial registration and seed capital audit. These costs are expensed as incurred by the Fund and will be paid by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund.
The Fund’s initial offering costs include, among other things, legal fees pertaining to Shares offered for sale, SEC and state registration fees, and costs for printing prospectuses for sales purposes. Any offering costs paid by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund will be recorded as a Payable for offering costs in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and will be accounted for as a deferred charge until commencement of operations. Thereafter, these initial offering costs will be amortized over 12 months on a straight-line basis. Ongoing offering costs will be expensed as incurred.
All organizational and offering costs of the Fund paid by the Adviser shall be subject to recoupment pursuant to the Expense Limitation Agreement. See Note 3.
F-5 |
The Fund intends to comply in its initial fiscal year and thereafter with provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and does not expect to be subject to federal income taxes on otherwise taxable income (including net realized capital gains) distributed to shareholders. If the Fund fails to qualify as a registered investment company (RIC) in any taxable year, the Fund will be subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at regular corporate tax rates.
The Fund indemnifies its officers and trustees for certain liabilities that may arise from the performance of their duties to the Fund. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties which provide general indemnities. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred. However, based on industry experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss due to these warranties and indemnities to be remote.
Note 3. Fees and Other Transactions with Affiliated Parties
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund will pay the Adviser a management fee calculated and payable monthly in arrears at the annual rate of 1.50% of the Fund’s month-end value of the Fund’s net assets.
Additionally, under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund will pay the Adviser an incentive fee. The incentive fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based upon the Fund’s “pre-incentive fee net investment income” for the immediately preceding quarter, and is subject to a hurdle rate, expressed as a rate of return on the Fund’s Net Assets, equal to 1.50% per quarter (or an annualized hurdle rate of 6.00%), subject to a “catch-up” feature. “Pre-incentive fee net investment income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income accrued during the calendar quarter minus the Fund’s operating expenses for the quarter, excluding the incentive fee. The calculation of the Incentive Fee for each quarter is as follows:
Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Adviser pays the Sub-Adviser 40% of all management fees that it receives from the Fund.
OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. has assumed the role of transfer agent for the Fund and has entered into a sub-transfer agency agreement with DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
The Adviser and the Fund have entered into the Expense Limitation Agreement under which the Adviser has agreed contractually for a one-year period to waive its management fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s initial organizational and offering costs, as well as the Fund’s operating expenses on a monthly basis to the extent that the Fund’s total annualized fund operating expenses (excluding (i) expenses directly related to the costs of making investments, including interest and structuring costs for borrowing and line(s) of credit, taxes, brokerage costs, the Fund’s proportionate share of expenses related to co-investments, litigation and other unusual and infrequent expenses, (ii)
F-6 |
Incentive Fees and (iii) any distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees) in respect of the relevant month exceed 2.00% of the Fund’s month-end net asset value (the “Expense Limitation”). In consideration of the Adviser’s agreement to waive its management fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s operating expenses, the Fund has agreed to repay the Adviser in the amount of any waived management fees and Fund expenses reimbursed subject to the limitation that reimbursement will be made only if and to the extent that: (i) it is payable not more than three years from the date on which the applicable waiver or expense payment was made by the Adviser, and (ii) the Adviser reimbursement does not cause the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (on an annualized basis and net of any Adviser reimbursements received by the Fund during such fiscal year) during the applicable quarter to exceed the Expense Limitation. As of May 08, 2018, the estimated amount subject to reimbursement to the Adviser under the agreement was $453,433 for organizational expenses and $366,221 for deferred offering costs.
Note 4. Subsequent Events
On May 10, 2018, the Fund established a limited liability company (the “Company”), OCPC Credit Facility SPV LLC, which is wholly-owned and controlled by the Fund. As of the date when the financial statements are available for issuance, the Company has no net assets.
F-7