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Related Party Transactions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions

5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Advisory Agreement

The Adviser provides management services to the Company pursuant to the Advisory Agreement. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is responsible for the following:

managing the Company’s assets in accordance with our investment objective, policies and restrictions;
determining the composition of the Company’s portfolio, the nature and timing of the changes to the portfolio and the manner of implementing such changes;
identifying, evaluating and negotiating the structure of the Company’s investments;
monitoring the Company’s investments;
determining the securities and other assets that the Company will purchase, retain or sell;
assisting the Board with its valuation of the Company’s assets;
directing investment professionals of the Adviser to provide managerial assistance to the Company’s portfolio companies;
performing due diligence on prospective portfolio companies;
exercising voting rights in respect of portfolio securities and other investments for the Company;
serving on, and exercising observer rights for, boards of directors and similar committees of our portfolio companies; and
providing the Company with such other investment advisory, research and related services as we may, from time to time, reasonably require for the investment of capital.

The Adviser’s services under the Advisory Agreement are not exclusive, and it is free to furnish similar services to other entities so long as its services to the Company are not impaired.

Term

Unless earlier terminated as described below, the Investment Advisory Agreement will remain in effect from year-to-year if approved annually by a majority of the Board or by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares, and, in each case, a majority of the independent directors.

The Advisory Agreement will automatically terminate within the meaning of the 1940 Act and related Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) guidance and interpretations in the event of its assignment. In accordance with the 1940 Act, without payment of any penalty, we may terminate the Advisory Agreement with the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice. The decision to terminate the agreement may be made by a majority of the Board or the stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock. See “Advisory Agreement—Removal of Adviser” below. In addition, without payment of any penalty, the Adviser may generally terminate the Advisory Agreement upon 60 days’ written notice and, in certain circumstances, the Adviser may only be able to terminate the Advisory Agreement upon 120 days’ written notice.

Removal of Adviser

The Adviser may be removed by the Board or by the affirmative vote of a Majority of the Outstanding Shares. “Majority of the Outstanding Shares” means the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of our common stock are present or represented by proxy or (2) a majority of outstanding shares of our common stock.

Compensation of Adviser

Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Company pays the Adviser (i) a base management fee (the “Base Management Fee”) and (ii) an incentive fee (the “Incentive Fee”). For the period from the date of the Advisory Agreement (the “Effective Date”) through the end of the first calendar quarter after the Effective Date, the Base Management Fee will be calculated at an annual rate of 1.50% of the Company’s gross assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents, but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts, as of the end of such calendar quarter. Subsequently, the Base Management Fee will be 1.50% of the Company’s average gross assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents, but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts, at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters; provided, however, that the Base Management Fee will be 1.00% of the Company’s average gross assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents, but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts, that exceed the product of (i) 200% and (ii) the value of the Company’s net asset value at the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter. The Incentive Fee consists of two parts: (1) a portion based on the Company’s pre-incentive fee net investment income (the “Income-Based Fee”) and (2) a portion based on the net capital gains received on the Company’s portfolio of securities on a cumulative basis for each calendar year, net of all realized capital losses and all unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, in each case calculated from the Effective Date, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital gains Incentive Fee (the “Capital Gains Fee”). The Income-Based Fee is 17.50% of pre-incentive fee net investment income with a 7.00% hurdle rate. The Capital Gains Fee is 17.50%.

Pre-incentive fee net investment income means dividends (including reinvested dividends), interest and fee income accrued by the Company during the calendar quarter, minus operating expenses for the quarter (including the management fee, expenses payable under the administration agreement, and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee). Pre-incentive fee net investment income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments with payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that the Company may not have received in cash. The Adviser is not obligated to return the incentive fee it receives on PIK interest that is later determined to be uncollectible in cash. Pre-incentive fee net investment income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation.

To determine the income incentive fee, pre-incentive fee net investment income is expressed as a rate of return on the value of our net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter. Because of the structure of the incentive fee, it is possible that the Company may pay an incentive fee in a calendar quarter in which the Company incurs a loss. For example, if the Company receives pre-incentive fee net investment income in excess of the quarterly hurdle rate, the Company will pay the applicable incentive fee even if the Company has incurred a loss in that calendar quarter due to realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation. In addition, because the quarterly hurdle rate is calculated based on our net assets, decreases in the Company’s net assets due to realized capital losses or unrealized capital depreciation in any given calendar quarter may increase the likelihood that the hurdle rate is reached and therefore the likelihood of the Company paying an incentive fee for the subsequent quarter. The Company’s net investment income used to calculate this component of the incentive fee is also included in the amount of the Company’s gross assets used to calculate the management fee because gross assets are total assets (including cash received) before deducting liabilities (such as declared dividend payments).

The second component of the incentive fee, the capital gains incentive fee, payable at the end of each calendar year in arrears, equals 17.50% of cumulative realized capital gains through the end of such calendar year commencing with the calendar year ending December 31, 2019, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, in each case calculated from the Effective Date, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital gains incentive fee for prior periods. The Company will accrue, but will not pay, a capital gains incentive fee with respect to unrealized appreciation because a capital gains incentive fee would be owed to the Adviser if the Company were to sell the relevant investment and realize a capital gain. In no event will the capital gains incentive fee payable pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement be in excess of the amount permitted by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) including Section 205 thereof.

The fees that are payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement for any partial period will be appropriately prorated.

Limitations of Liability and Indemnification

Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, its officers, managers, partners, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with the Adviser, including without limitation its managing member, will not be liable to the Company for acts or omissions performed in accordance with and pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, except those resulting from acts constituting criminal conduct, gross negligence, willful misfeasance, bad faith or reckless disregard of the duties that the Adviser owes to the Company under the Advisory Agreement. In addition, as part of the Advisory Agreement, the Company has agreed to indemnify the Adviser and each of its officers, managers, partners, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with the Adviser, including without limitation its general partner, and the Administrator from and against any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including reasonable legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred, in or by reason of any pending, threatened or completed action, suit, investigation or other proceeding (including an action or suit by or in the right of the Company or its security holders) arising out of or otherwise based upon the performance of any of the Adviser’s duties or obligations under the Advisory Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of the Company, except where attributable to criminal conduct, gross negligence, willful misfeasance, bad faith or reckless disregard of such person’s duties under the Advisory Agreement.

Board Approval of the Advisory Agreement

On December 12, 2018, the then-current Board of the Company held an in-person meeting to consider and approve the Advisory Agreement and related matters, and on April 1, 2019 the Company entered into the Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Board most recently determined to re-approve the Advisory Agreement at a meeting held on March 12, 2025. In reaching a decision to re-approve the Advisory Agreement, the Board was provided the information required to consider the Advisory Agreement, including: (a) the nature, quality and extent of the advisory and other services to be provided to the Company by the Adviser; (b) comparative data with respect to advisory fees or similar expenses paid by other BDCs with similar investment objectives; (c) the Company projected operating expenses and expense ratio compared to BDCs with similar investment objectives; (d) any existing and potential sources of indirect income to the Adviser from its relationship with the Company and the profitability of that relationship; (e) information about the services to be performed and the personnel performing such services under the Advisory Agreement; and (f) the organizational capability and financial condition of the Adviser and its affiliates.

The Board, including a majority of independent directors, will oversee and monitor the Company’s investment performance and annually reviews the compensation we pay to the Adviser.

The Company incurred base management fees of $6.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, $7.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, and $8.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The Company incurred incentive fees of $5.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, $7.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, and $6.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Administration Agreement

Under the terms of the administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) between the Company and BC Partners Management LLC (the “Administrator”), the Administrator will perform, or oversee the performance of, required administrative services, which includes providing office space, equipment and office services, maintaining financial records, preparing reports to stockholders and reports filed with the SEC, and managing the payment of expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered by others. The Company will reimburse the Administrator for services performed for us pursuant to the terms of the Administration Agreement. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Administration Agreement, the Administrator may delegate its obligations under the Administration Agreement to an affiliate or to a third party and the Company will reimburse the Administrator for any services performed for it by such affiliate or third party.

Payments under the Administration Agreement are equal to an amount that reimburses the Administrator for its costs and expenses in performing its obligations and providing personnel and facilities (including rent, office equipment and utilities) for the Company’s use under the Administration Agreement, including an allocable portion of the compensation paid to the Company’s chief compliance officer and chief financial officer and their respective staff who provide services to the Company. The Board, including the independent directors, will review the general nature of the services provided by the Administrator as well as the related cost to the Company for those services and consider whether the cost is reasonable in light of the services provided.

Unless earlier terminated as described below, the Administration Agreement will remain in effect from year-to-year if approved annually by a majority of the Board or by the holders of a Majority of the Outstanding Shares, and, in each case, a majority of the independent directors. On April 1, 2019, the Board approved the Administration Agreement with the Administrator and the Board most recently determined to re-approve the Administration Agreement at a meeting held on March 12, 2025.

The Company may terminate the Administration Agreement, without payment of any penalty, upon 60 days’ written notice. The decision to terminate the agreement may be made by a majority of the Board or the stockholders holding a Majority of the Outstanding Shares. In addition, the Adviser may terminate the Administration Agreement, without payment of any penalty, upon 60 days’ written notice.

The Company incurred $1.8 million of Administrative services expense for the year ended December 31, 2024, $2.4 million for the year ended ending December 31, 2023, and $3.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Adviser reimbursed the Company approximately $5.3 million for expenses relating to certain administrative transition services provided by the former administrative and other personnel of OHAI, GARS and HCAP to the Company following the Company’s acquisition of each of these BDCs. The Adviser reimbursed the Company approximately $1.1 million, $2.1 million, $1.6 million, and $0.5 million for such expenses paid by the Company during the years ended 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively, inclusive of interest. Beginning on October 1, 2023, the Adviser bore and will continue to bear on a go-forward basis the expenses associated with these administrative transition services.

Payment of Expenses under the Advisory and Administration Agreements

Except as specifically provided below, all investment professionals and staff of the Adviser, when and to the extent engaged in providing investment advisory and management services to the Company, and the compensation and routine overhead expenses (including rent, office equipment and utilities), of such personnel allocable to such services, is provided and paid for by the Adviser. The Company bears an allocable portion of the compensation paid by the Adviser (or its affiliates) to the Company’s chief compliance officer and chief financial officer and their respective staffs (based on a percentage of time such individuals devote, on an estimated basis, to our business affairs). The Company also bears all other costs and expenses of our operations, administration and transactions, including, but not limited to (i) investment advisory fees, including management fees and incentive fees, to the Adviser, pursuant to the Advisory Agreement; (ii) an allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by the Adviser (or its affiliates) in performing its administrative obligations under the Advisory Agreement, and (iii) all other expenses of our operations and transactions including, without limitation, those relating to:

the cost of calculating the Company’s net asset value, including the cost of any third-party valuation services;
the cost of effecting any sales and repurchases of the Company’s common stock and other securities;
fees and expenses payable under any dealer manager or placement agent agreements, if any;
administration fees payable under the Administration Agreement and any sub-administration agreements, including related expenses;
debt service and other costs of borrowings or other financing arrangements;
costs of hedging;
expenses, including travel expense, incurred by the Adviser, or members of the investment team, or payable to third parties, performing due diligence on prospective portfolio companies and, if necessary, enforcing our rights;
transfer agent and custodial fees;
fees and expenses associated with marketing efforts;
federal and state registration fees, any stock exchange listing fees and fees payable to rating agencies;
federal, state and local taxes;
independent directors’ fees and expenses including certain travel expenses;
costs of preparing financial statements and maintaining books and records and filing reports or other documents with the SEC (or other regulatory bodies) and other reporting and compliance costs, including registration and listing fees, and the compensation of professionals responsible for the preparation of the foregoing;
the costs of any reports, proxy statements or other notices to stockholders (including printing and mailing costs), the costs of any stockholder or director meetings and the compensation of personnel responsible for the preparation of the foregoing and related matters;
commissions and other compensation payable to brokers or dealers;
research and market data;
fidelity bond, directors and officers errors and omissions liability insurance and other insurance premiums;
direct costs and expenses of administration, including printing, mailing, long distance telephone and staff;
fees and expenses associated with independent audits, outside legal and consulting costs;
costs of winding up our affairs;
costs incurred by either the Administrator or us in connection with administering our business, including payments under the Administration Agreement;
extraordinary expenses (such as litigation or indemnification);
costs associated with reporting and compliance obligations under the 1940 Act and applicable federal and state securities laws; and
costs associated with the Company’s legacy lease;

Co-investment Exemptive Relief

As a BDC, we are subject to certain regulatory restrictions in making investments. For example, BDCs generally are not permitted to co-invest with certain affiliated entities in transactions originated by the BDC or its affiliates in the absence of an exemptive order from the SEC. However, BDCs are permitted to, and may, simultaneously co-invest in transactions where price is the only negotiated term.

On April 10, 2023, superseding a prior exemptive order granted on October 23, 2018, the SEC issued an order granting an application for exemptive relief to us and certain of our affiliates that allows BDCs managed by the Adviser, including us, to co-invest, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, in certain private placement transactions, with other funds managed by the Adviser or its affiliates, certain proprietary accounts of the Adviser or its affiliates and any future funds that are advised by the Adviser or its affiliated investment advisers.

Under the terms of the exemptive order, in order for the Company to participate in a co-investment transaction a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of the Company’s independent directors must conclude that (i) the terms of the proposed transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the Company and its stockholders and do not involve overreaching with respect to the Company or its stockholders on the part of any person concerned, and (ii) the proposed transaction is consistent with the interests of the Company’s stockholders and is consistent with the Company’s investment objectives and strategies and certain criteria established by the Board.

Related Party Trades

There were no transactions subject to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act during the years ended December 31, 2024 or 2023.