UNITED STATESSECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONWashington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED September 30, 2019
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 814-01180
Runway Growth Credit Fund Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
(312) 281-6270
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ¨ No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ¨ No x
The issuer had 21,990,715 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, outstanding as of November 13, 2019.
RUNWAY GROWTH CREDIT FUND INC.
FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2019
Table of Contents
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
Statements of Assets and Liabilities
See notes to financial statements.
Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
Statements of Cash Flows
Schedule of Investments (Unaudited)
September 30, 2019
Acquisition
Date
Schedule of Investments (Unaudited) – (continued)
Investment Description
(1),(2),(5),(6),(11)
Principal/
Shares
As of April 17, 2019, the CareCloud Corporation warrant to purchase preferred stock was amended to change the warrant entitlement of the Company from Series C Preferred Stock to Series A-1 Preferred Stock at 2,262,579 shares at an exercise price of $0.8287 per share.
The following tables show the fair value of our portfolio of investments (excluding any U.S. Treasury Bills held) by geographic region and industry as of September 30, 2019:
Schedule of Investments
December 31, 2018
Schedule of Investments - (continued)
Schedule of Investments – (continued)
The following tables show the fair value of our portfolio of investments (excluding any U.S. Treasury Bills held) by geographic region and industry as of December 31, 2018:
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1 – Organization
Runway Growth Credit Fund Inc. (the “Company”) is a Maryland corporation that was formed on August 31, 2015. The Company is an externally managed, non-diversified, closed-end investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). In addition, the Company has elected to be treated, 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”).
The Company was formed primarily to lend to, and selectively invest in, small, fast-growing companies in the United States. The Company’s investment objective is to maximize its total return to its stockholders primarily through current income on its loan portfolio, and secondarily through capital appreciation on its warrants and other equity positions. The Company’s investment activities are managed by its external investment adviser, Runway Growth Capital LLC (“RGC”). Runway Administrator Services LLC (the “Administrator”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of RGC and provides administrative services necessary for the Company to operate.
In October 2015, in connection with the Company’s formation, the Company issued and sold 1,667 shares of common stock to R. David Spreng, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000. The sale of shares of common stock was approved by the unanimous consent of the Company’s sole director at the time. In December 2016, the Company completed the initial closing of capital commitments in its first private offering of shares of common stock to investors (the “Initial Private Offering”) in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and other applicable securities laws. The final closing of the Initial Private Offering occurred on December 1, 2017. As of September 30, 2019, in connection with the Initial Private Offering, the Company had no remaining outstanding capital commitments and had issued 18,241,157 shares of its common stock for a total purchase price of $275,000,000. The Company has issued an additional 2,081,327 shares of its common stock as part of the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan since inception. Refer to Note 6 for further detail.
As of September 30, 2019, the Company had completed multiple closings under its second private offering (the “Second Private Offering”). As of September 30, 2019, the Company had accepted capital commitments of $170,573,500. Subsequent to September 30, 2019, the Company has completed additional closings under the Second Private Offering totaling $2,000,000 and had issued 1,666,667 shares of its common stock for a total purchase price of $25,000,000 in connection with the Second Private Offering.
Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The interim unaudited financial statements of the Company are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the requirements for reporting on Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Company is an investment company following the specialized accounting and reporting guidance specified in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services — Investment Companies.
In the opinion of management, all adjustments, all of which were of a normal recurring nature, considered necessary for the fair presentation of financial statements for the interim period have been included. The results of operations for the current interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that ultimately may be achieved for any other interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2019. The interim unaudited financial statements and notes hereto should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on March 29, 2019.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expense during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash represents deposits held at financial institutions, while cash equivalents are highly liquid investments held at financial institutions with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of acquisition. At times, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents exceed federally insured limits, subjecting the Company to risks related to the uninsured balance. Cash and cash equivalents are held at large, established, high credit-quality financial institutions, and management believes that risk of loss associated with any uninsured balance is remote.
Subscriptions receivable
Subscriptions receivable represents amounts due from investors when capital is called under subscription agreements and not yet received; and, dividend amounts to be paid in stock under the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan. As of September 30, 2019, $649,123 represented shares to be issued under the dividend reinvestment plan relating to the special dividend declared on September 27, 2019 to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2019 and paid on November 12, 2019. As of November 13, 2019, there were no subscriptions receivable outstanding.
Deferred Credit Facility Fees
The fees and expenses associated with opening the KeyBank loan facilities or Credit Agreement (as defined below) are being deferred and amortized as part of interest expense using the effective interest method over the term of the Credit Agreement in accordance with ASC 470, Debt. Debt issuance costs associated with the Credit Agreement are classified as a direct reduction of the carrying amount of borrowings with the Credit Agreement, unless there are no outstanding borrowings, in which case the debt issuance costs are presented as an asset.
The fees and expenses associated with opening the CIBC USA Credit Facilities (as defined below) are being deferred and amortized as part of interest expense using the effective interest method over the term of the Credit Facilities in accordance with ASC 470, Debt. Debt issuance costs associated with the Credit Agreement are classified as a direct reduction of the carrying amount of borrowings with the Credit Agreement, unless there are no outstanding borrowings, in which case the debt issuance costs are presented as an asset.
Reverse Repurchase agreement
The Company may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, under the terms of a Master Repurchase Agreement, with selected commercial banks and broker-dealers, under which the Company acquires securities as collateral (debt obligation) subject to an obligation of the counterparty to repurchase and the Company to resell the securities (obligation) at an agreed upon time and price. The Company, through the custodian or a sub-custodian, receives delivery of the underlying securities collateralizing repurchase agreements. The Company requires the custodian to take possession, to have legally segregated in the Federal Reserve Book Entry System, or to have segregated within the custodian’s vault, all securities held as collateral for repurchase agreements. The Company and the counterparties are permitted to sell, re-pledge, or use the collateral associated with the transaction. It is the Company’s policy that the market value of the collateral be at least equal to 100 percent of the repurchase price in the case of a repurchase agreement of one-day duration and 102 percent of the repurchase price in the case of all other repurchase agreements. Upon an event of default under the terms of the Master Repurchase Agreement, both parties have the right to set-off. If the seller defaults or enters an insolvency proceeding, realization of the collateral by the Company may be delayed, limited or wholly denied.
Pursuant to a reverse repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs, which expired on October 4, 2019, the Company purchased a U.S. Treasury Bill, due October 8, 2019. The value of the related collateral that the Company received for this agreement was $59,970,914 at September 30, 2019. Pursuant to a reverse repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs which expired on January 2, 2019, the Company purchased a U.S. Treasury Bill, due January 3, 2019. The value of the related collateral that the Company received for this agreement was $79,959,928 at December 31, 2018. At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the repurchase liability is $59,671,060 and $79,560,129, respectively, which is reflected as Reverse Repurchase Agreement on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Investment Transactions and Related Investment Income
Security transactions, if any, are recorded on a trade-date basis. Realized gains or losses from the repayment or sale of investments are measured using the specific identification method. The amortized cost basis of investments represents the original cost adjusted for the accretion/amortization of discounts and premiums and upfront loan origination fees. The Company reports changes from the prior period in fair value of investments that are measured at fair value as a component of net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments in the statement of operations.
Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Interest income, if any, adjusted for amortization of market premium and accretion of market discount, is recorded on an accrual basis to the extent that the Company expects to collect such amounts. Original issue discount, principally representing the estimated fair value of detachable equity or warrants obtained in conjunction with the Company’s debt investments, loan origination fees, end of term payments, and market discount or premium are capitalized and accreted or amortized into interest income over the life of the respective security using the effective interest method. Loan origination fees received in connection with the closing of investments are reported as unearned income, which is included as amortized cost of the investment; the unearned income from such fees is accreted into interest income over the contractual life of the loan based on the effective interest method. Upon prepayment of a loan or debt security, any prepayment penalties, unamortized loan origination fees, end-of-term payments, and unamortized market discounts are recorded as interest income.
The Company currently holds, and expects to hold in the future, some investments in its portfolio that contain payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest provisions. PIK interest is computed at the contractual rate specified in each loan agreement and is added to the principal balance of the loan, rather than being paid to the Company in cash, and is recorded as interest income. Thus, the actual collection of PIK interest may be deferred until the time of debt principal repayment. PIK interest, which is a non-cash source of income, is included in the Company’s taxable income and therefore affects the amount the Company is required to distribute to stockholders to maintain its qualification as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, even though the Company has not yet collected the cash. Generally, when current cash interest and/or principal payments on a loan become past due, or if the Company otherwise does not expect the borrower to be able to service its debt and other obligations, the Company will place the investment on non-accrual status and will generally cease recognizing PIK interest and dividend income on that loan for financial reporting purposes until all principal and interest have been brought current through payment or due to a restructuring such that the interest and dividend income is deemed to be collectible. As of September 30, 2019, and December 31, 2018, the Company has not written off any accrued and uncollected PIK interest and dividends. As of September 30, 2019, the Company had one loan on non-accrual status with total interest of $563,961 that would have been accrued into income. Had the loan not been on non-accrual status, $271,847 would be payable, and $292,113 would be original issue discount. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, approximately 4.6% and 2.7%, respectively, of the Company’s total investment income was attributable to non-cash PIK interest and dividend income. The Company did not have non-cash PIK interest and dividend income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018.
Valuation of Investments
The Company measures the value of its investments at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure (“ASC Topic 820”), issued by the FASB. Fair value is 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.
The audit committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Audit Committee”) is responsible for assisting the Board of Directors in valuing investments that are not publicly traded or for which current market values are not readily available. Investments for which market quotations are readily available are valued using market quotations, which are generally obtained from independent pricing services, broker-dealers or market makers. With respect to portfolio investments for which market quotations are not readily available, the Company’s Board of Directors, with the assistance of the Audit Committee, RGC and its senior investment team and independent valuation agents, is responsible for determining, in good faith, the fair value in accordance with the valuation policy approved by the Board of Directors. If more than one valuation method is used to measure fair value, the results are evaluated and weighted, as appropriate, considering the reasonableness of the range indicated by those results. The Company considers a range of fair values based upon the valuation techniques utilized and selects the value within that range that was most representative of fair value based on current market conditions as well as other factors RGC’s senior investment team considers relevant.
The Company’s Board of Directors makes this fair value determination on a quarterly basis and any other time when a decision regarding the fair value of the portfolio investments is required. A determination of fair value involves subjective judgments and estimates and depends on the facts and circumstances. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of portfolio investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a readily available market value existed for such investments, and the differences could be material.
ASC Topic 820 specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques based on whether the inputs to those valuation techniques are observable or unobservable. ASC Topic 820 also provides guidance regarding a fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes information used to measure fair value and the effect of fair value measurements on earnings and provides for enhanced disclosures determined by the level within the hierarchy of information used in the valuation. In accordance with ASC Topic 820, these inputs are summarized in the three levels listed below:
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 observable input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The 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.
Under ASC Topic 820, the fair value measurement also assumes that the transaction to sell an asset occurs in the principal market for the asset or, in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market for the asset, which may be a hypothetical market, and excludes transaction costs. The principal market for any asset is the market with the greatest volume and level of activity for such asset in which the reporting entity would or could sell or transfer the asset. In determining the principal market for an asset or liability under ASC Topic 820, it is assumed that the reporting entity has access to such market as of the measurement date. Market participants are defined as buyers and sellers in the principal or most advantageous market that are independent, knowledgeable and willing and able to transact.
With respect to investments for which market quotations are not readily available, the Company undertakes a multi-step valuation process each quarter, as described below:
The Company’s investments are primarily loans made to and equity and warrants of small, fast-growing companies focused in technology, life sciences, health care information and services, business services and other high-growth industries. These investments are considered Level 3 assets under ASC Topic 820 because there is no known or accessible market or market indices for these types of debt instruments and, thus, RGC’s senior investment team must estimate the fair value of these investment securities based on models utilizing unobservable inputs.
Investment Valuation Techniques
Debt Investments:To determine the fair value of the Company’s debt investments, the Company compares the cost basis of the debt investment, which includes original issue discount, to the resulting fair value determined using a discounted cash flow model, unless another model is more appropriate based on the circumstances at the measurement date. The discounted cash flow approach entails analyzing the interest rate spreads for recently completed financing transactions which are similar in nature to the Company’s investments, in order to determine a comparable range of effective market interest rates for its investments. The range of interest rate spreads utilized is based on borrowers with similar credit profiles. All remaining expected cash flows of the investment are discounted using this range of interest rates to determine a range of fair values for the debt investment.
This valuation process includes, among other things, evaluating the underlying investment performance, the portfolio company’s current financial condition and ability to raise additional capital, as well as macro-economic events that may impact valuations. These events include, but are not limited to, current market yields and interest rate spreads of similar securities as of the measurement date. Significant increases or decreases in these unobservable inputs could result in a significantly higher or lower fair value measurement; however, a significantly higher or lower fair value measurement of any of the Company’s portfolio investments may occur regardless of whether there is a significant increase or decrease in these unobservable inputs.
Under certain circumstances, the Company may use an alternative technique to value the debt investments to be acquired by the Company that better reflects the fair value of the investment, such as the price paid or realized in a recently completed transaction or a binding offer received in an arms-length transaction, the use of multiple probability-weighted cash flow models when the expected future cash flows contain elements of variability or estimates of proceeds that would be received in a liquidation scenario.
Warrants: Fair value of warrants is primarily determined using a Black Scholes option-pricing model. Privately held warrants and equity-related securities are valued based on an analysis of various factors including, but not limited to, the following:
Under certain circumstances, the Company may use an alternative technique to value warrants that better reflects the warrants’ fair values, such as an expected settlement of a warrant in the near term, a model that incorporates a put feature associated with the warrant, or the price paid or realized in a recently completed transaction or binding offer received in an arms-length transaction. The fair value may be determined based on the expected proceeds to be received from such settlement or based on the net present value of the expected proceeds from the put option.
These valuation methodologies involve a significant degree of judgment. There is no single standard for determining the fair value of investments that do not have an active public market. Valuations of privately held investments are inherently uncertain, as they are based on estimates, and their values may fluctuate over time. The determination of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if an active market for these investments existed. In some cases, the fair value of such investments is best expressed as a range of values derived utilizing different methodologies from which a fair value may then be determined.
Equity Investments.The fair value of an equity investment in a privately held company is initially the face value of the amount invested. The Company adjusts the fair value of equity investments in private companies upon the completion of a new third-party round of equity financing subsequent to the Company’s investment. The Company may make adjustments to fair value, absent a new equity financing event, based upon positive or negative changes in a portfolio company’s financial or operational performance. The Company may also reference comparable transactions and/or secondary market transactions in connection with its determination of fair value. The fair value of an equity investment in a publicly traded company is based upon the closing public share price on the date of measurement. These assets are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. These valuation methodologies involve a significant degree of judgment. There is no single standard for determining the fair value of investments that do not have an active public market. Valuations of privately held investments are inherently uncertain, as they are based on estimates, and their values may fluctuate over time. The determination of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if an active market for these investments existed. In some cases, the fair value of such investments is best expressed as a range of values derived utilizing different methodologies from which a fair value may then be determined.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and accrued liabilities, approximate fair value due to their short-term nature.
Investment Classification
The Company is a non-diversified company within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Company classifies its investments by level of control. As defined in the 1940 Act, control investments are those where there is the ability or power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company. Control is generally deemed to exist when a company or individual possesses, or has the right to acquire within 60 days or less, beneficial ownership of more than 25.0% of the voting securities of a company. Affiliated investments and affiliated companies are defined by a lesser degree of influence and are deemed to exist through the possession outright, or via the right to acquire within 60 days or less, beneficial ownership of 5.0% or more of the outstanding voting securities of a company.
Investments are recognized when the Company assumes an obligation to acquire a financial instrument and assumes the risks for gains or losses related to that instrument. Investments are derecognized when the Company assumes an obligation to sell a financial instrument and foregoes the risks for gains or losses related to that instrument. Specifically, the Company records all security transactions on a trade date basis. Investments in other, non-security financial instruments, such as limited partnerships or private companies, are recorded on the basis of subscription date or redemption date, as applicable. Amounts for investments recognized or derecognized but not yet settled will be reported as receivables for investments sold and payables for investments acquired, respectively, in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.
Income Taxes
The Company elected to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code starting with its taxable year ended December 31, 2016, has qualified, currently qualifies, and intends to qualify annually for the tax treatment applicable to RICs. Generally, a RIC is not subject to U.S. federal income taxes on distributed income and gains so long as it meets certain source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and it distributes at least 90% of its net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of its net long-term capital losses, if any, to its stockholders. So long as the Company obtains and maintains its status as a RIC, it generally will not pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes at least annually to its stockholders as dividends. Rather, any U.S. federal income tax liability related to income earned by the Company represents obligations of the Company’s investors and will not be reflected in the financial statements of the Company. The Company intends to make sufficient distributions to maintain its RIC tax treatment each year and it does not anticipate paying any material U.S. federal income taxes in the future.
If the Company does not distribute (or is not deemed to have distributed) each calendar year the sum of (1) 98% of its net ordinary income for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (3) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years (the “Minimum Distribution Amount”), the Company will generally be required to pay a U.S. federal excise tax equal to 4% of the amount by which the Minimum Distribution Amount exceeds the distributions for the year. To the extent that the Company determines that its estimated current year annual taxable income will be in excess of estimated current year dividend distributions from such taxable income, the Company accrues excise taxes, if any, on estimated excess taxable income as taxable income is earned using an annual effective excise tax rate. The annual effective U.S. federal excise tax rate is determined by dividing the estimated annual excise tax by the estimated annual taxable income.
If the Company does not qualify to be treated as a RIC for any taxable year, the Company will be taxed as a regular corporation (a “C corporation”) under subchapter C of the Code for such taxable year. If the Company has previously qualified to be treated as a RIC but is subsequently unable to qualify for treatment as a RIC, and certain amelioration provisions are not applicable, the Company would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on all of its taxable income (including its net capital gains) at regular corporate rates. The Company would not be able to deduct distributions to stockholders, nor would it be required to make distributions. In order to requalify as a RIC, in addition to the other requirements discussed above, the Company would be required to distribute all of its previously undistributed earnings attributable to the period it failed to qualify as a RIC by the end of the first year that it intends to requalify as a RIC. If the Company fails to requalify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it may be subject to regular corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the Company had been liquidated) that it elects to recognize on requalification or when recognized over the next five years.
Per Share Information
Basic and diluted earnings per common share is calculated using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period presented. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, basic and diluted earnings per share of common stock were the same because there were no potentially dilutive securities outstanding. Per share data is based on the weighted-average shares outstanding.
Distributions
The Company generally intends to distribute, out of assets legally available for distribution, substantially all of its available earnings, on a quarterly basis, subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company declared dividends in the amount of $9,722,744 and $31,855,046, respectively, of which $1,987,041 and $6,469,908, respectively, was cash and the remainder shares of common stock to stockholders pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan. Of these distributions for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, $8,911,541 and $31,043,843 was paid as of September 30, 2019, respectively, of which $1,824,961 and $6,307,828, respectively, was cash distributed and the remainder distributed in shares to stockholders pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan. The remainder of dividends declared during the three months ended September 30, 2019 was paid on November 12, 2019 in the amount of $162,080 in cash and $649,123 in common stock. For the three months ended September 30, 2018, the Company declared and paid dividends in the amount of $2,184,724 of which $430,480 was distributed in cash and the remainder distributed in shares to stockholders pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company declared and paid dividends in the amount of $3,484,974 of which $685,160 was distributed in cash and the remainder distributed in shares to stockholders pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan.
Organization and Offering Costs
Organization costs include, among other things, the cost of organizing as a Maryland corporation, including the cost of legal services and other fees pertaining to our organization, all of which are expensed as incurred. Offering costs include, among other things, legal fees and other costs pertaining to the preparation of the Company’s private placement memorandum and other offering documents, including travel-related expenses related to the Initial Private Offering. Pursuant to the investment advisory agreement between the Company and RGC, as subsequently amended and restated (the “Amended Advisory Agreement”), the Company and RGC agreed that organization and offering costs incurred in connection with the Initial Private Offering would be borne by the Company up to a maximum amount of $1,000,000, provided that the amount of such costs in excess of $1,000,000 would be paid by RGC. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had already incurred the maximum amount of $1,000,000 in organization and offering costs incurred in connection with the Initial Private Offering. As a result, for year ended December 31, 2018, the Company did not incur any organization or offering expenses.
Offering costs related to new or follow on offerings will be accumulated and charged to additional paid in capital at the time of closing. These offering costs are subject to a cap of $600,000, excluding placement agent fees which have no cap, of which the Company will bear the cost. As of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, the Company had accumulated and recorded $409,735 and $102,865 of deferred offering costs. As of September 30, 2019, $98,602 in placement agent fees had been incurred and included within deferred offering costs. As of December 31, 2018, no placement agent fees had been incurred. Under the terms of the Second Private Offering, offering costs in excess of $600,000, excluding placement agent fees, will be reimbursed by RGC.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which changes the fair value measurement disclosure requirements of ASC 820. The key provisions include new, eliminated and modified disclosure requirements. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods therein. Early application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this new accounting standard will have on its financial statements, however the impact of the adoption is not expected to be material.
In March 2019, the SEC issued Final Rule Release No. 33-10618, FAST Act Modernization and Simplification of Regulation S-K, which amends certain SEC disclosure requirements. The amendments are intended to simplify certain disclosure requirements, improve readability and navigability of disclosure documents, and discourage repetition and disclosure of immaterial information. The amendments are effective for all filings submitted on or after May 2, 2019. The Company adopted the requisite amendments effective May 9, 2019. As it pertains to the Company for this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, there were no significant changes to the Company’s financial position or disclosures. The Company is still evaluating the impact this amendment will have on its future periodic filings.
Note 3 – Commitments and Contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Company may enter into investment agreements under which it commits to make an investment in a portfolio company at some future date or over a specified period of time.
At September 30, 2019, the Company had $35,875,000 in unfunded loan commitments to provide debt financing to its portfolio companies. The balance of unfunded commitments to extend financing as of September 30, 2019 was as follows:
At December 31, 2018, the Company had $41,250,000 in unfunded loan commitments.
The Company’s management believes that its available cash balances, availability under the Credit Agreement and/or ability to drawdown capital from investors provides sufficient funds to cover its unfunded commitments as of September 30, 2019. The Company has evaluated the expected net future cash flows related to unfunded commitments and determined the fair value to be zero as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.
The Company is currently not subject to any material legal proceedings, nor, to its knowledge, is any material proceeding threatened against the Company. From time to time, the Company may be a party to certain legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including proceedings relating to the enforcement of its rights under contracts with its portfolio companies. While the outcome of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company does not expect that these proceedings will have a material effect upon its business, financial condition or results of operations.
Note 4 – Concentration of Credit Risk
In the normal course of business, the Company maintains its cash balances in financial institutions, which at times may exceed federally insured limits. The Company is subject to credit risk to the extent that any financial institution with which it conducts business is unable to fulfill contractual obligations on its behalf. Management monitors the financial condition of those financial institutions and does not currently anticipate any losses from these counterparties.
Note 5 – Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations per Common Share
The following information sets forth the computation of basic income/losses per common share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:
Note 6 – Net Assets
The Company has the authority to issue 100,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share. The common shares issued, the price per share and the proceeds raised, since inception, are detailed in the following table:
At September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had total remaining commitments of $0 and $275,000,000 under the Company’s Initial Private Offering, respectively. As of September 30, 2019, all capital commitments under the Initial Private Offering had been drawn. As of December 31, 2018, $115,000,000 was undrawn. Between June 14, 2019 and September 30, 2019, the Company accepted $170,573,500 in capital commitments under its Second Private Offering. No capital commitments under the Second Private Offering had been drawn as of September 30, 2019. On October 1, 2019, the Company called $25,000,000 of capital under the Second Private Offering.
Capital commitments may be drawn down by the Company on a pro rata basis, as needed, upon not less than ten (10) days’ prior written notice for the purposes of funding the Company’s investments (including follow-on investments), paying the Company’s expenses, including fees under the Amended Advisory Agreement, by and between the Company and RGC, and/or maintaining a reserve account for the payment of future expenses or liabilities.
Note 7 – Related Party Agreements and Transactions
Amended and Restated Advisory Agreement
On November 29, 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an investment advisory agreement between RGC and the Company, under which RGC, subject to the overall supervision of the Board of Directors, manages the day-to-day operations of and provides investment advisory services to the Company. On August 3, 2017, the Board of Directors approved the Amended Advisory Agreement and recommended that the Company’s stockholders approve the Amended Advisory Agreement. The Amended Advisory Agreement became effective on September 12, 2017 after approval by the stockholders at a special meeting of stockholders of the Company. Under the terms of the Amended Advisory Agreement, RGC:
Pursuant to the Amended Advisory Agreement, the Company pays RGC a fee for its investment advisory and management services consisting of two components – a base management fee and an incentive fee. The cost of both the base management fee and incentive fee are ultimately borne by the Company’s stockholders.
Base Management Fee
The base management fee is payable on the first day of each calendar quarter, is subject to an annual cap based on RGC’s actual operating expenses and is calculated based on the Capital Commitments (as defined below) and assets purchased with borrowed funds or other forms of leverage (collectively, the “Pre-Spin-Off Gross Assets”) during the preceding calendar quarter. For purposes of the Amended Advisory Agreement, “Capital Commitments” is defined as the aggregate amount of capital committed to the Company by investors as of the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter. On September 12, 2017, without changing the base management fee percentage, the Advisory Agreement was amended to provide clarification as to the calculation of the base management fee. Prior to amendment, the base management fee was collected on the first day of each quarter based on an estimate of actual operating expenses, not to exceed 1.75% per annum, for the following quarter with an implied, though not defined “true-up” mechanism effected once all actual costs were known. The Amended Advisory Agreement defines the process and timing of the true-up and base management fee. The base management fee is now collected at the maximum annualized rate of 1.75% per annum with a comparison of actual expenses for the immediately preceding calendar year to occur on or before March 31 of the subsequent calendar year, with any excess management fee collected when compared to actual operating expenses credited against the base management fee payable for subsequent quarters.
Until the earlier of (1) the consummation of an initial public offering (“IPO”) of the Public Fund (defined below) in connection with a Spin-Off transaction (defined below) and (2) the earliest date at which (a) all Capital Commitments have been called for investments and/or expenses and (b) the Company holds no more than 10.0% of its total assets in cash, the base management fee will be an amount equal to 0.4375% (1.75% annualized) of the Pre-Spin-Off Gross Assets at the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter, provided, however, that the base management fee payable in a calendar year will not exceed the actual operating expenses incurred by RGC during such calendar year (the “Management Fee Cap”). No later than March 31 of each calendar year, RGC will provide the Company a reconciliation of the actual operating expenses incurred by RGC for the prior calendar year and the base management fee paid to RGC for such prior calendar year. To the extent the base management fee paid to RGC for such prior calendar year exceeds the Management Fee Cap (the “Excess Fee”) for such prior calendar year, the base management fee payable to RGC for the second calendar quarter and each subsequent quarter immediately following such calendar year will be reduced by the Excess Fee until such time as the Excess Fee for the prior calendar year has been reduced to zero. For the avoidance of doubt, actual operating expenses of RGC for a particular year will not include any reduction in base management fees as a result of Excess Fees paid by the Company.
For purposes of the Amended Advisory Agreement, a “Spin-Off transaction” includes a transaction whereby the Company offers its stockholders the option to elect to either (i) retain their ownership of shares of the Company’s common stock; (ii) exchange their shares of the Company’s common stock for shares of common stock in a newly formed entity (the “Public Fund”) that will elect to be regulated as a BDC under the 1940 Act and treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, and will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to complete an IPO of shares of its common stock not later than three years after the Company’s final closing of the Initial Private Offering, which occurred on December 1, 2017; or (iii) exchange their shares of the Company’s common stock for interests of one or more newly formed entities (each, a “Liquidating Fund”) that will each be organized as a limited liability company, and which will, among other things, seek to complete an orderly wind down and/or liquidation of any such Liquidating Fund.
Following the earlier of (1) the consummation of an IPO of the Public Fund in connection with a Spin-Off transaction and (2) the earliest date at which (a) all Capital Commitments have been called for investments and/or expenses and (b) the Company holds no more than 10.0% of its total assets in cash, the base management fee will be an amount equal to 0.4375% (1.75% annualized) of the Company’s average daily Gross Assets (defined below) during the most recently completed calendar quarter for so long as the aggregate amount of Gross Assets of the Company as of the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter is less than $500,000,000. For purposes of the Amended Advisory Agreement, “Gross Assets” is defined as the Company’s gross assets, including assets purchased with borrowed funds or other forms of leverage, as well as any paid-in-kind interest, as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter. If the aggregate amount of the Company’s Gross Assets as of the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter is equal to or greater than $500,000,000, but less than $1,000,000,000, the base management fee will be an amount equal to 0.40% (1.60% annualized) of the Company’s average daily Gross Assets during the most recently completed calendar quarter. If the aggregate amount of the Company’s Gross Assets as of the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter is equal to or greater than $1,000,000,000, the base management fee will be an amount equal to 0.375% (1.50% annualized) of the Company’s average daily Gross Assets during the most recently completed calendar quarter.
As of June 13, 2019, the Company had called all Capital Commitments and held less than 10% of its total assets in cash. As such, pursuant to the Amended Advisory Agreement, the base management fee payable to the Company is now calculated as an amount equal to 0.4375% (1.75% annualized) of the Company’s average daily Gross Assets during the most recently completed calendar quarter for so long as the aggregate amount of Gross Assets of the Company as of the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter is less than $500,000,000.
RGC earned base management fees of $1,238,835 and $1,203,125 respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 respectively; and earned base management fees of $3,645,085 and $3,609,375 respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 respectively.
Incentive Fee
The incentive fee, which provides RGC with a share of the income that RGC generates for the Company, consists of an investment-income component and a capital-gains component, which are largely independent of each other, with the result that one component may be payable even if the other is not.
Under the investment-income component (the “Income Incentive Fee”), the Company will pay RGC each quarter an incentive fee with respect to the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income. The Income Incentive Fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on the Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income for the immediately preceding fiscal quarter. Payments based on Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income will be based on the Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income earned for the quarter. For this purpose, “Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income” means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees, such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence, managerial and consulting fees or other fees that the Company receives from portfolio companies) that the Company accrues during the fiscal quarter, minus the Company’s operating expenses for the quarter (including the base management fee, expenses payable under the administration agreement with the Administrator (the “Administration Agreement”), and any dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee); provided however, that Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income will be reduced by multiplying the Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income earned for the quarter by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Company’s average daily Gross Assets during the immediately preceding fiscal quarter minus average daily borrowings during the immediately preceding fiscal quarter, and the denominator of which is the Company’s average daily Gross Assets during the immediately preceding fiscal quarter. 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 pay in kind interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income the Company has not yet received in cash; provided, however, that the portion of the Income Incentive Fee attributable to deferred interest features will be paid, only if and to the extent received in cash, and any accrual thereof will be reversed if and to the extent such interest is reversed in connection with any write off or similar treatment of the investment giving rise to any deferred interest accrual, applied in each case in the order such interest was accrued. Such subsequent payments in respect of previously accrued income will not reduce the amounts payable for any quarter pursuant to the calculation of the Income Incentive Fee described above. Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation.
Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets (defined as total assets less liabilities) at the end of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter, will be compared to a “hurdle rate” of 2.0% per quarter (8.0% annualized). The Company will pay RGC an Income Incentive Fee with respect to the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income in each calendar quarter as follows: (1) no Income Incentive Fee in any calendar quarter in which the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income does not exceed the hurdle rate of 2.0%; (2) 80% of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income with respect to that portion of such Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income, if any, that exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than 2.667% in any calendar quarter (10.668% annualized) (the portion of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income that exceeds the hurdle but is less than 2.667% is referred to as the “catch-up”; the “catch-up” is meant to provide RGC with 20.0% of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income as if a hurdle did not apply if the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income exceeds 2.667% in any calendar quarter (10.668% annualized)); and (3) 20.0% of the amount of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income, if any, that exceeds 2.667% in any calendar quarter (10.668% annualized) payable to RGC (once the hurdle is reached and the catch-up is achieved, 20.0% of all Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income thereafter is allocated to RGC).
Until the consummation of an IPO of the Public Fund in connection with a Spin-Off transaction, in the event that (a) the sum of the Company’s cumulative net realized losses since the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC exceeds 2.0% of the total non-control/non-affiliate investments made by the Company since the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through the end of the quarter and (b) the Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income adjusted to include any realized capital gains and losses (“Adjusted Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income”), expressed as an annualized rate of return on the value of the Company’s average daily net assets (defined as total assets less liabilities), since the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through the end of the quarter is less than 10.0%, no Income Incentive Fee will be payable for such quarter until the first subsequent quarter in which either (x) the sum of the Company’s cumulative net realized losses since the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC is equal to or less than 2.0% of the total non-control/non-affiliate investments made by the Company since the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through the end of such subsequent quarter or (y) the Adjusted Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income, expressed as an annualized rate of return on the value of the Company’s average daily net assets (defined as total assets less liabilities), since the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through the of the end of the quarter equals or exceeds 10.0%; provided, however, that in no event will any Income Incentive Fee be payable for any prior quarter after the three-year anniversary of the end of such quarter.
After the consummation of an IPO of the Public Fund in connection with a Spin-Off transaction, in the event that (a) the sum of the Company’s cumulative net realized losses for the previous four fiscal quarters or, if fewer than four fiscal quarters have passed since such IPO, that number of fiscal quarters since such IPO (the “Look-Back Period”), exceeds 2.0% of the total non-control/non-affiliate investments (i) made by the Company during the Look-Back Period or (ii) transferred to the Public Fund in connection with a Spin-Off transaction during the Look-Back Period and (b) the Adjusted Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income, expressed as an annualized rate of return on the value of the Company’s average daily net assets (defined as total assets less liabilities), during the Look-Back Period is less than 10.0% no Income Incentive Fee will be payable for such quarter until the first subsequent quarter in which (x) the sum of the Company’s cumulative net realized losses for the Look-Back Period is equal to or less than 2.0% of the total non-control/non-affiliate investments (i) made by the Company during the Look-Back Period or (ii) transferred to the Public Fund in connection with a Spin-Off transaction during the Look-Back Period or (y) the Adjusted Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income, expressed as an annualized rate of return on the value of the Company’s average daily net assets (defined as total assets less liabilities), during the Look-Back Period equals or exceeds 10.0%; provided, however, that in no event will any Income Incentive Fee be paid for any prior quarter after the three-year anniversary of the end of such quarter.
Under the capital-gains component of the incentive fee (the “Capital Gains Fee”), the Company will pay RGC, as of the end of each calendar year, 20.0% of the Company’s aggregate cumulative realized capital gains, if any, from the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through the end of that calendar year, computed net of the Company’s aggregate cumulative realized capital losses and aggregate cumulative unrealized capital depreciation through the end of such year, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid Capital Gains Fee; provided, however, that the Company will not pay the Capital Gains Fee to RGC for any calendar year in which the sum of the Company’s (1) Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income and (2) realized gains less realized losses and unrealized capital depreciation from the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through the end of such calendar year, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets (defined as total assets less liabilities) at the end of such calendar year is less than 8.0% until the first subsequent calendar quarter in which the sum of the Company’s (1) Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income and (2) realized gains less realized losses and unrealized capital depreciation from the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through, and including, the end of such subsequent calendar quarter, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets (defined as total assets less liabilities) at the end of such calendar quarter is equal to or exceeds 8.0%; provided, further, that in no event will any Capital Gains Fee be paid for any prior year after the three-year anniversary of the end of such year. For the foregoing purpose, the Company’s “aggregate cumulative realized capital gains” will not include any unrealized appreciation. If such amount is negative, then no Capital Gains Fee will be payable for such year.
RGC earned incentive fees of $1,669,053 and $6,285,048 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. RGC earned incentive fees of $479,538 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018. $1,120,903 and $5,126,159, respectively, of the incentive fees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were earned, payable in cash, and $548,150 and $1,158,889, respectively of the incentive fees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were accrued and generated from deferred interest (i.e., PIK interest and certain discount accretion) and are not payable pending receipt of cash by the Company. $339,758 of the incentive fees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were earned, payable in cash, and $139,780 of the incentive fees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were accrued and generated from deferred interest (i.e., PIK interest and certain discount accretion) and are not payable pending receipt of cash by the Company. Both currently payable in cash and deferred incentive fees are included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2019.
The capital gains incentive fee consists of fees related to realized gains, realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation. With respect to the incentive fee expense accrual related to the capital gains incentive fee, U.S. GAAP requires that the capital gains invective fee accrual consider the cumulative aggregate unrealized appreciation in the calculation, as a capital gains incentive fee would be payable if such unrealized appreciation were realized even though such unrealized appreciation is not permitted to be considered in calculating the fee actually payable under the Amended Advisory Agreement. As of each of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, there was no capital gains incentive fee accrued, earned or payable to RGC under the Amended Advisory Agreement.
Spin-Off Incentive Fee
The Income Incentive Fee will be payable in connection with a Spin-Off transaction. The Income Incentive Fee will be calculated as of the date of the completion of each Spin-Off transaction and will equal the amount of Income Incentive Fee that would be payable to RGC if (1) all of the Company’s investments were liquidated for their current value and any unamortized deferred portfolio investment-related fees would be deemed accelerated, (2) the proceeds from such liquidation were used to pay all of the Company’s outstanding liabilities, and (3) the remainder were distributed to the Company’s stockholders and paid as incentive fee in accordance with the Income Incentive Fee described in clauses (1) and (2) above for determining the amount of the Income Incentive Fee; provided, however, that in no event will the Income Incentive Fee paid in connection with the completion of a Spin-Off transaction (x) include the portion of the Income Incentive Fee attributable to deferred interest features of a particular investment that is not transferred pursuant to a Spin-Off transaction until such time as the deferred interest is received in cash, or (y) exceed 20.0% of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income accrued by the Company for the fiscal quarter as of the date of the completion of the Spin-Off transaction. The Company will make the payment of the Income Incentive Fee paid in connection with the completion of a Spin-Off transaction in cash on or immediately following the date of the completion of a Spin-Off transaction. After a Spin-Off transaction, all calculations relating to the incentive fee payable will be made beginning on the day immediately following the completion of the Spin-Off transaction without taking into account the exchanged shares of the Company’s common stock (or contributions, distributions or proceeds relating thereto).
The Capital Gains Fee will be payable in respect of the exchanged shares of the Company’s common stock in connection with a Spin-Off transaction and will be calculated as of the date of the completion of a Spin-Off transaction as if such date were a calendar year-end for purposes of calculating and paying the Capital Gains Fee.
No Income Incentive Fee or Capital Gains Fee will be payable in connection with a Spin-Off transaction unless, on the date of the completion of a Spin-Off transaction, the sum of the Company’s (i) Pre-Incentive Fee net investment income and (ii) realized capital gains less realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation from the date of the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC through, and including, the date of the completion of such Spin-Off transaction, is greater than 8.0% of the cumulative net investments made by the Company since the Company’s election to be regulated as a BDC.
Administration Agreement
The Company reimburses the Administrator for the allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including furnishing the Company with office facilities, equipment and clerical, bookkeeping and recordkeeping services at such facilities, as well as providing other administrative services. In addition, the Company reimburses the Administrator for the fees and expenses associated with performing compliance functions, and the Company’s allocable portion of the compensation of certain of its officers, including the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and any administrative support staff. Pursuant to the terms of the Administration Agreement, the amounts payable to the Administrator by the Company in any fiscal year will not exceed the greater of (i) 0.75% of the aggregate capital commitments as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year and (ii) $1.0 million.
The Company reimbursed the Administrator $281,849 and $846,296 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and $171,520 and $447,581 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively. As of September 30, 2019, the Company had accrued a payable to the Administrator of $111,685. Of the total amount reimbursed and accrued during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, $207,345 and $567,121, respectively, was related to overhead allocation expense. Of the total amount reimbursed and accrued during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, $60,388 and $178,502, respectively, was related to overhead allocation expense. The Company reimbursed the Administrator $614,405 during the year ended December 31, 2018 and accrued a payable of $116,697 due to the Administrator as of December 31, 2018. Administration fees were $97,995 and $382,860 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively. Administration fees were $49,054 and $147,357 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.
License Agreement
The Company has entered into a license agreement with RGC (the “License Agreement”) pursuant to which RGC has granted the Company a personal, non-exclusive, royalty-free right and license to use the name “Runway Growth Credit Fund”. Under the License Agreement, the Company has the right to use the “Runway Growth Credit Fund” name for so long as RGC or one of its affiliates remains the Company’s investment adviser. Other than with respect to this limited license, the Company has no legal right to the “Runway Growth Credit Fund” name.
Oaktree Strategic Relationship
In December 2016, RGC entered into a strategic relationship with Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”). In connection with the strategic relationship, OCM Growth Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“OCM”) managed by Oaktree, made an initial $125.0 million capital commitment to the Company, which was subsequently increased to $139.0 million (the “Initial OCM Commitment”). On June 14, 2019, the Company accepted a capital commitment from OCM in the amount of $112.5 million (the “Subsequent OCM Commitment and, together with the Initial OCM Commitment, the “OCM Commitment”). OCM has granted a proxy to the Company pursuant to which the shares held by OCM will be voted in the same proportion as the Company’s other stockholders vote their shares.
In connection with the OCM Commitment, the Company entered into a stockholder agreement, dated December 15, 2016, with OCM, pursuant to which OCM has a right to nominate a member of the Company’s Board of Directors for election. Brian Laibow was appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors as OCM’s representative. OCM also holds an interest in RGC and has the right to appoint a member of RGC’s board of managers and a member of RGC’s investment committee. Brian Laibow is OCM’s initial appointee to RGC’s board of managers and investment committee. In connection with the Subsequent OCM Commitment, the Company expects OCM to purchase additional equity in RGC.
Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements
The Company’s assets recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy in accordance with ASC Topic 820. See Note 2 for discussion of the Company’s policies.
The following tables present information about the Company’s assets measured at fair value as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively:
The Company recognizes transfers into and out of the levels indicated above at the end of the reporting period. There were no transfers into or out of the levels during the period ended September 30, 2019 and the year ended December 31, 2018.
The following table presents a rollforward of Level 3 assets measured at fair value as of September 30, 2019:
The following table presents a rollforward of Level 3 assets measured at fair value as of September 30, 2018:
The following table provides quantitative information regarding Level 3 fair value measurements as of September 30, 2019:
The following table provides quantitative information regarding Level 3 fair value measurements as of December 31, 2018:
Note 9 – Derivative Financial Instruments
In the normal course of business, the Company may utilize derivative contracts in connection with its investment activities. Investments in derivative contracts are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or part of an investment. The derivative activities and exposure to derivative contracts primarily involve equity price risks. In addition to the primary underlying risk, additional counterparty risk exists due to the potential inability of counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts.
Warrants
Warrants provide exposure and potential gains upon equity appreciation of the portfolio company’s equity value. A warrant has a limited life and expires on a certain date. As a warrant’s expiration date approaches, the time value of the warrant will decline. In addition, if the stock underlying the warrant declines in price, the intrinsic value of an “in the money” warrant will decline. Further, if the price of the stock underlying the warrant does not exceed the strike price of the warrant on the expiration date, the warrant will expire worthless. As a result, there is the potential for the entire value of an investment in a warrant to be lost.
Counterparty risk exists from the potential failure of an issuer of warrants to settle its exercised warrants. The maximum risk of loss from counterparty risk is the fair value of the contracts and the purchase price of the warrants. The Company’s Board of Directors considers the effects of counterparty risk when determining the fair value of its investments in warrants.
Note 10 – Credit Facilities
On May 31, 2019, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) by and among the Company, as borrower, KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent, syndication agent, and a lender, CIBC Bank USA, as documentation agent and a lender, U.S. Bank National Association, as paying agent, the guarantors from time to time party thereto, and the other lenders from time to time party thereto.
The Credit Agreement provides for borrowings up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of $100 million, subject to availability under a borrowing base that is determined by the number and value of eligible loan investments in the collateral, applicable advance rates and concentration limits, and certain cash and cash equivalent holdings of the Company. The Credit Agreement has an accordion feature that allows the Company to increase the aggregate commitments up to $200 million, subject to new or existing lenders agreeing to participate in the increase and other customary conditions. There can be no assurances that existing lenders will agree to such an increase, or that additional lenders will join the credit facility to increase available borrowings.
Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest on a per annum basis equal to a three-month adjusted LIBOR rate (with a LIBOR floor of zero), plus an applicable margin rate that varies from 3.00% to 2.50% per annum depending on utilization and other factors. During the availability period, the applicable margin rate (i) is 3.00% per annum for interest periods during which the average utilization is less than 60% and (ii) varies from 3.00% to 2.50% per annum when the average utilization equals or exceeds 60% (with 3.00% applying when the eligible loans in the collateral consist of 9 or fewer unaffiliated obligors, 2.75% applying when the eligible loans consist of between 10 and 29 unaffiliated obligors, and 2.50% applying when the eligible loans consist of 30 or more unaffiliated obligors). During the amortization period, the applicable margin rate will be 3.00%. If certain eurodollar disruption events occur, then borrowings under the Credit Agreement will bear interest on a per annum basis equal to (i) a base rate instead of LIBOR that is set at the higher of (x) the federal funds rate plus 0.50% and (y) the prime rate, plus (ii) the applicable margin rate discussed above. Interest is payable quarterly in arrears. The Company also pays unused commitment fees of 0.50% per annum on the unused lender commitments under the Credit Agreement, as well as a minimum earnings fee of 3.00% that will be payable annually in arrears, starting on May 31, 2021, on the average unused commitments below 60% of the aggregate commitments during the preceding 12-month period.
The availability period under the Credit Agreement expires on May 31, 2022 and is followed by a two-year amortization period. The stated maturity date under the Credit Agreement is May 31, 2024.
The Credit Agreement is secured by a perfected first priority security interest in substantially all of the Company’s assets and portfolio investments.
The Credit Agreement contains certain customary covenants and events of default for secured revolving credit facilities of this nature, including, without limitation, maintenance of a tangible net worth as of the last day of each fiscal quarter in excess of the greater of (i) $125 million plus 75% of the net proceeds of sales of equity interests in the Company and (ii) the loan balance of the Company’s four largest obligors; maintenance of an asset coverage ratio as of the last day of each fiscal quarter that equals or exceeds the greater of 150% and the ratio otherwise applicable to the Company under the 1940 Act; maintenance of an interest coverage ratio as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of 2.00 to 1.00; maintenance of a minimum liquidity amount as of the last day of each fiscal quarter; net income not being negative for two consecutive fiscal quarters or any trailing 12-month period; a limitation on incurring additional indebtedness without the prior written consent of the administrative agent (subject to limited exceptions); certain change-of-control events occur at the Company or the Company’s investment adviser; the departure of certain key persons from the Company or the Company’s investment adviser; RGC ceases to be the Company’s investment adviser; maintenance of business-development-company status and regulated-investment-company status; nonpayment; misrepresentation of representations and warranties; breach of covenant; and certain bankruptcy and liquidation events.
On June 22, 2018, the Company entered into a demand loan agreement (the “Uncommitted Facility”) and a revolving loan agreement (the “Committed Facility,” and together with the Uncommitted Facility, the “Credit Facilities”) with CIBC Bank USA (“CIBC”). An amendment to the Credit Facilities was entered into on September 24, 2018 between the Company and CIBC. On May 31, 2019, in conjunction with securing and entering into the new Credit Agreement, the Company terminated the Credit Facilities.
The maximum principal amount of available borrowings under each of the Uncommitted Facility and the Committed Facility was $30 million (for a combined maximum principal amount under the Credit Facilities of $60 million), subject in each case to availability under the borrowing base, which is based on unused capital commitments. Borrowings under the Credit Facilities bear interest, at the Company’s election at the time of drawdown, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of LIBOR rate loans, the LIBOR rate for the applicable interest period plus 2.50% or (ii) in the case of prime rate loans, CIBC’s prime commercial rate at the time of the borrowing minus 0.50%.
The Credit Facilities are secured by a perfected first priority security interest in the Company’s right, title, and interest in and to the capital commitments of the Company’s private investors, including the Company’s right to make capital calls, receive and apply capital contributions, enforce remedies and claims related thereto together with capital call proceeds and related rights, and a pledge of the collateral account into which capital call proceeds are deposited.
The Credit Facilities contain customary covenants and events of default for such subscription credit facilities (with customary cure and notice provisions), including, without limitation, maintenance of RIC status; nonpayment; misrepresentation of representations and warranties; breach of covenant; certain bankruptcy and liquidation events; change of control at RGC; the Amended Advisory Agreement or the Administration Agreement, ceasing to remain in effect; investors with aggregate capital commitments to the Company in excess of fifteen percent (15%) of the aggregate capital commitments of all investors in the Company failing to make capital contributions within ten (10) business days of when required; and the commitment period of the Company’s investors terminating because the Company engages in a Spin-Off transaction.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the weighted average outstanding debt balance was $26,141,304 and $12,355,311, respectively, and the weighted average effective interest rate under the Credit Agreement and Credit Facilities was 5.40% and 5.25%, respectively.
As of September 30, 2019, the Company had $65,000,000 outstanding under the Credit Agreement and the Credit Facilities with the maturities as follows:
As of December 31, 2018, the Company had $59,500,000 outstanding under the Credit Facilities with maturities as follows:
Note 11 – Financial Highlights
Note 12 - Subsequent Events
On October 1, 2019, the Company delivered a capital drawdown notice to investors relating to the sale of 1,666,667 shares of common stock, for an aggregate offering price of $25,000,000. The sale closed on October 15, 2019.
On October 1, 2019, the Company funded an additional $150,000 on the extension loan to Aginity, Inc.
On October 11, 2019, the Company funded an additional $150,000 on the extension loan to Aginity, Inc.
On October 21, 2019, in conjunction with its sale to Stryker, Mobius Imaging, LLC, prepaid its outstanding principal balance of $15.5 million on the senior secured loan. In addition, the Company received cash proceeds of $1,937,500 in connection with the termination of its warrants in Mobius Imaging, LLC for total proceeds of $18,087,208.
On October 22, 2019, the Company funded an additional $500,000 on the senior secured term loan to Echo 360 Holdings, Inc.
On October 28, 2019, the Company funded an additional $75,000 on the extension loan to Aginity, Inc.
On November 12, 2019, pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan, the Company issued 43,979 shares of its common stock, at a price of $14.76 per share for total proceeds of $649,123, to stockholders of record as of September 30, 2019 that did not opt out of the dividend reinvestment plan in order to satisfy the reinvestment portion of the Company’s dividends.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Forward-Looking Statements
This quarterly report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about us, our current and prospective portfolio investments, our industry, our beliefs and opinions, and our assumptions. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “may,” “continue,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “targets,” “projects,” “outlook,” “potential,” “predicts” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:
Although we believe the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include those described or identified in “Risk Factors” in in Part I, Item 1A of our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on March 29, 2019.
We have based the forward-looking statements included in this Form 10-Q on information available to us on the date of this Form 10-Q, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Although we undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, you are advised to consult any additional disclosures that we may make directly to you or through reports that we have filed or in the future may file with the SEC, including our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.
The following analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes thereto contained elsewhere in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q.
Overview
We are an externally managed, non-diversified closed-end investment management company that was formed on August 31, 2015 as a corporation under the laws of the State of Maryland. We have elected to be regulated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. In addition, we have elected to be treated, have qualified, currently qualify, and intend to qualify annually as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. If we fail to qualify as a RIC for any taxable year, we will be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax on any net taxable income for such year. As a BDC and a RIC, we are required to comply with various regulatory requirements, such as the requirement to invest at least 70% of our assets in “qualifying assets,” source-of-income limitations, asset diversification requirements, and the requirement to distribute annually at least 90% of our investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt interest.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We could remain an emerging growth company until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of an IPO, if any, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of $1,070,000,000 or more, (ii) December 31 of the fiscal year in which we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act (which would occur if the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million, measured as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, and we have been publicly reporting for at least 12 months), or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three-year period. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act, we will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements.
We are externally managed by RGC, an investment adviser that has registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Administrator, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RGC, provides all the administrative services necessary for us to operate.
We commenced investment activities in portfolio securities during the quarter ended June 30, 2017, and we commenced investment activities in U.S. Treasury Bills during the quarter ended December 31, 2016. In October 2015, in connection with our formation, we issued and sold 1,667 shares of our common stock to R. David Spreng, our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board of Directors, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000. In December 2016, we completed the initial closing of capital commitments in the Initial Private Offering, in connection with which we called capital and issued 333,333 shares of our common stock to investors for an aggregate purchase price of $5,000,000. The final closing of the Initial Private Offering occurred on December 1, 2017. As of September 30, 2019, in connection with the Initial Private Offering, the Company had no remaining outstanding capital commitments and had issued 18,241,157 shares of our common stock to stockholders for a total purchase price of $275,000,000. The Company has issued an additional 2,081,327 shares as part of the dividend reinvestment plan since inception.
As of September 30, 2019, we had completed multiple closings under the Second Private Offering and had accepted capital commitments of $170,573,500. Subsequent to September 30, 2019, we have completed additional closings under the Second Private Offering totaling $2,000,000 and has issued 1,666,667 shares of common stock for a total purchase price of $25,000,000 in connection with the Second Private Offering.
Portfolio Composition and Investment Activity
Portfolio Composition
At September 30, 2019, we had investments in twenty-five portfolio companies and held one U.S. Treasury Bill. At December 31, 2018, we had investments in twenty portfolio companies and held one U.S. Treasury Bill. The following table shows the fair value of our investments, by asset class, as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018:
Investment Activity
The value of our investment portfolio will change over time due to changes in the fair value of our underlying investments, as well as changes in the composition of our portfolio resulting from purchases of new and follow-on investments as well as repayments and sales of existing investments. Our primary investment activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was as follows:
Portfolio Reconciliation
The following is a reconciliation of our investment portfolio, including U.S. Treasury Bills, for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:
Nine Months Ended
(unaudited)
September 30, 2018
Asset Quality
In addition to various risk management and monitoring tools, RGC uses an investment rating system to characterize and monitor the quality of our debt investment portfolio. Equity securities and Treasury Bills are not graded. This debt investment rating system uses a five-level numeric scale. The following is a description of the conditions associated with each investment rating:
The following table shows the investment rankings of our debt investments at fair value as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018:
Loans and Debt Securities on Non-Accrual Status
Generally, when interest and/or principal payments on a loan become past due, or if we otherwise do not expect the borrower to be able to service its debt and other obligations, we will place the loan on non-accrual status and will generally cease recognizing interest income on that loan for financial reporting purposes until all principal and interest have been brought current through payment or due to a restructuring such that the interest income is deemed to be collectible. As of September 30, 2019, we had two loans to Aginity, Inc. representing an aggregate principal funded of $8,625,000 at a fair market value of $4,381,124 on non-accrual status. As of December 31, 2018, we did not have any loans on non-accrual status.
Results of Operations
An important measure of our financial performance is net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations, which includes net investment income, net realized gain/(loss) and net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation). Net investment income is the difference between our income from interest, dividends, fees and other investment income and our operating expenses, including interest on borrowed funds. Net realized gain/(loss) on investments is the difference between the proceeds received from dispositions of portfolio investments and their amortized cost. Net unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments is the net change in the fair value of our investment portfolio.
Comparison of the Three Months Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.
Investment Income
Our investment objective is to maximize our total return to our stockholders primarily through current income on our loan portfolio, and secondarily through capital appreciation on our warrants and other equity positions. We intend to achieve our investment objective by investing in high growth-potential, private companies. We typically invest in senior secured and second lien secured loans that generally fall into two strategies: Sponsored Growth Lending and Non-Sponsored Growth Lending. Our Sponsored Growth Lending also typically includes the receipt of warrants and/or other equity from venture-backed companies. We expect our investments in loans will generally range from between $5.0 million to $30.0 million, and the upper end of this range may increase as we raise additional capital.
We generate revenue in the form of interest on the debt securities that we hold and distributions and capital gains on other interests that we acquire in our portfolio companies. We expect that the debt we invest in will generally have stated terms of 36 to 60 months. Interest on debt securities is generally payable monthly. In some cases, some of our investments may provide for deferred interest payments or PIK interest. The principal amount of the debt securities and any accrued but unpaid interest generally will become due at the maturity date. In addition, we may generate revenue in the form of commitment and other fees in connection with transactions. Original issue discounts and market discounts or premiums will be capitalized, and we will accrete or amortize such amounts as interest income. We will record prepayment premiums on loans and debt securities as interest income. Dividend income, if any, will be recognized on an accrual basis to the extent that we expect to collect such amounts.
Investment income for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was $11,834,485 due primarily to interest income earned on our portfolio investments. Investment income for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was $5,516,079 due primarily to interest income earned on our portfolio investments. The increase in interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2018 was a result of our deployment of capital and increased investment portfolio.
Operating Expenses
Our primary operating expenses include the payment of fees to RGC under the Amended Advisory Agreement, our allocable portion of overhead expenses under the Administration Agreement, professional fees, and other operating costs described below. We bear all other out-of-pocket costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, including those relating to:
Operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $4,329,742 and $2,411,145, respectively. Operating expenses increased for the three months ended September 30, 2019 from the three months ended September 30, 2018 primarily due to increased portfolio activity which resulted in increased overhead allocation expense, professional fees, and payment of incentive fees. The increase in overhead allocation expense was driven by allocation of RGC personnel, time, and resources utilized on fund activity. Operating expenses per share for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $0.21 per share and $0.27 per share, respectively.
Incentive Fees
Incentive fees for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $1,669,053 and $479,538, respectively. Incentive fees increased for the three months ended September 30, 2019 from the three months ended September 30, 2018 primarily due to the increase in investment income. $1,120,903 of the incentive fees for the three months ended September 30, 2019 were earned, payable in cash, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2019. $548,150 of the incentive fees for the three months ended September 30, 2019 were deferred and accrued, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2019. $339,758 of the incentive fees for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were earned, payable in cash, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2018. $139,780 of the incentive fees for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were deferred and accrued, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2018. Incentive fees per share for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 were $0.08 per share and $0.05 per share, respectively.
Net Investment Income
Net investment income for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was $7,504,743 and $3,104,934 respectively. The net investment income increased for the three months ended September 30, 2019 from the three months ended September 30, 2018 primarily due to interest income earned on our portfolio investments, partially offset by increased management and incentive fees and the other operating expenses discussed above. Net investment income per share for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was $0.38 per share and $0.35 per share, respectively.
Net Realized Gain on Investment
Our change in realized gain on investments of $966 for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was due to sale of U.S. Treasury Bills. There were no net realized gains or losses on investments for the three months ended September 30, 2018.
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on Investments
Our net change in unrealized depreciation on investments of $2,782,423 for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to a decrease in the fair value of our senior secured loan to Aginity, Inc. The net change in unrealized appreciation on investments of $493,648 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was primarily due to a increase in the fair value of our warrants for preferred stock of eSilicon Corporation.
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations
We had an increase in net assets resulting from operations for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 of $4,721,354 and $3,598,582, respectively. The increase in net assets resulting from operations for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to interest and other income earned from portfolio investments, partially offset by increased management and incentive fees, professional fees incurred and the net change in unrealized depreciation related to a senior secured loan in our portfolio, Aginity, Inc. The net increase in net assets resulting from operations for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was primarily due to interest and other income earned from our portfolio investments, partially offset by management fees and professional fees incurred.
Comparison of the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.
Investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was $40,380,803 due primarily to interest income earned on our portfolio investments. Investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was $13,295,692 due primarily to interest income earned on our portfolio investments. The increase in interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was a result of our deployment of capital and increased investment portfolio. Investment income further increased due to prepayment fees and end of term payments received during the nine months ended September 30, 2019.
Operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $13,432,025 and $5,862,806, respectively. Operating expenses increased for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 from the nine months ended September 30, 2018 primarily due to increased portfolio activity which resulted in increased overhead allocation expense, professional fees, the payment of incentive fees and interest expense. The increase in interest expense was a result of the use of our credit facilities to support our deployment of capital and increasing invested balance. The increase in overhead allocation expense was driven by allocation of RGC personnel, time, and resources utilized on fund activity. Operating expenses per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $0.77 per share and $0.66 per share, respectively.
Incentive fees for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $6,285,048 and $479,538, respectively. Incentive fees increased for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 from the nine months ended September 30, 2018 due primarily to the increase in investment income. $5,126,159 of the incentive fees for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 were earned, payable in cash, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2019. $1,158,889 of the incentive fees for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 were deferred and accrued, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2019. $339,758 of the incentive fees for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were earned, payable in cash, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2018. $139,780 of the incentive fees for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were deferred and accrued, and included in accrued incentive fees in the statement of assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2018. Incentive fees per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $0.36 per share and $0.05 per share, respectively.
Net investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was $26,948,778 and $7,432,886, respectively. The net investment income increased for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 from the nine months ended September 30, 2018 primarily due to interest income earned on our portfolio investments, prepayment fees, and end of term payments, partially offset by increased incentive fees and the other operating expenses discussed above. Net investment income per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 were $1.54 per share and $0.85 per share, respectively.
There were $492,342 in net realized gains on investments for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, primarily due to the gains on our warrants for preferred stock on Drawbridge, Inc. and Jibe, Inc. Our net realized gain on investments of $59,792 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was primarily due to the net realized gain on our warrants for preferred stock of Placecast, Inc.
Our net change in unrealized depreciation on investments of $8,270,054 for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to a decrease in the fair value of a senior secured loan in our portfolio, Aginity, Inc. The net change in unrealized depreciation on investments of $301,578 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was primarily due to a decrease in the fair value of our senior secured loan to Mojix, Inc. and our warrants for preferred stock of Mojix, Inc., and our warrants for common stock of Aspen Group, Inc. This was partially offset by increases in the fair value of our senior secured loans to AllClear ID, Inc., eSilicon Corporation, RedSeal, Inc. and zSpace, Inc., and our warrants for preferred stock of eSilicon Corporation.
We had an increase in net assets resulting from operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 of $19,171,066 and $7,191,100, respectively. The increase in net assets resulting from operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was primarily due to interest and other income earned from portfolio investments, prepayment fees, and end of term payments, partially offset by increased management and incentive fees, professional fees incurred and the net change in unrealized depreciation related to a senior secured loan in our portfolio, Aginity, Inc. The net increase in net assets resulting from operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was primarily due to interest and other income earned from our portfolio investments, partially offset by management fees and professional fees incurred.
Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources
We generate cash primarily from the net proceeds of the offering of our securities and cash flows from our operations, including investment sales and repayments as well as income earned on investments and cash equivalents. We may also fund a portion of our investments through borrowings under the Credit Facilities (discussed below). We expect that we may also generate cash from any financing arrangements we may enter into in the future and any future offerings of our equity or debt securities. We may fund a portion of our investments through borrowings from banks and issuances of senior securities. Our primary use of funds is to make investments in eligible portfolio companies, pay our operating expenses and make distributions to holders of our common stock.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, cash and cash equivalents increased to $2,668,355 from $2,527,474 as of December 31, 2018. This increase was primarily the result of the drawing on the remaining capital commitments under the Initial Private Offering net of the purchase of investments in portfolio companies and U.S. Treasury Bills, and was partially offset by the maturity of the U.S. Treasury Bills for $235,966,606.
Equity Activity
We have the authority to issue 100,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share.
On October 8, 2015, we issued 1,667 shares of our common stock to R. David Spreng, our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board of Directors, for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000. The remaining shares were issued in connection with the Initial Private Offering or pursuant to our dividend reinvestment plan, as follows:
Contractual Obligations
At September 30, 2019, the Company had $35,875,000 in unfunded loan commitments to provide debt financing to ten portfolio companies.
Credit Facilities
On May 31, 2019, we entered into the Credit Agreement with KeyBank National Association, as administrative agent, syndication agent, and a lender, CIBC Bank USA, as documentation agent and a lender, and U.S. Bank National Association, as paying agent. The Credit Agreement provides for borrowings up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of $100 million, subject to availability under a borrowing base that is determined by the number and value of eligible loan investments in the collateral, applicable advance rates and concentration limits, and certain cash and cash equivalent holdings of the Company. The Credit Agreement has an accordion feature that allows the Company to increase the aggregate commitments up to $200 million, subject to new or existing lenders agreeing to participate in the increase and other customary conditions. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest on a per annum basis equal to a three-month adjusted LIBOR rate (with a LIBOR floor of zero), plus an applicable margin rate that varies from 3.00% to 2.50% per annum depending on utilization and other factors. During the availability period, the applicable margin rate (i) is 3.00% per annum for interest periods during which the average utilization is less than 60% and (ii) varies from 3.00% to 2.50% per annum when the average utilization equals or exceeds 60% (with 3.00% applying when the eligible loans in the collateral consist of 9 or fewer unaffiliated obligors, 2.75% applying when the eligible loans consist of between 10 and 29 unaffiliated obligors, and 2.50% applying when the eligible loans consist of 30 or more unaffiliated obligors). During the amortization period, the applicable margin rate will be 3.00%. If certain eurodollar disruption events occur, then borrowings under the Credit Agreement will bear interest on a per annum basis equal to (i) a base rate instead of LIBOR that is set at the higher of (x) the federal funds rate plus 0.50% and (y) the prime rate, plus (ii) the applicable margin rate discussed above. Interest is payable quarterly in arrears. The Company also pays unused commitment fees of 0.50% per annum on the unused lender commitments under the Credit Agreement, as well as a minimum earnings fee of 3.00% that will be payable annually in arrears, starting on May 31, 2021, on the average unused commitments below 60% of the aggregate commitments during the preceding 12-month period. The availability period under the Credit Agreement expires on May 31, 2022 and is followed by a two-year amortization period. The stated maturity date under the Credit Agreement is May 31, 2024. The Credit Agreement is secured by a perfected first priority security interest in substantially all of the Company’s assets and portfolio investments.
On June 22, 2018, as amended on September 24, 2018, we entered into the Uncommitted Facility and the Committed Facility with CIBC. The maximum principal amount of available borrowings under each of the Uncommitted Facility and the Committed Facility was $30 million (for a combined maximum principal amount under the Credit Facilities of $60 million), subject in each case to availability under the borrowing base, which is based on unused capital commitments. Borrowings under the Credit Facilities bear interest, at our election at the time of drawdown, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of LIBOR rate loans, the LIBOR rate for the applicable interest period plus 2.50% or (ii) in the case of prime rate loans, CIBC’s prime commercial rate at the time of the borrowing minus 0.50%. The Credit Facilities mature on September 19, 2019 and are secured by a perfected first priority security interest in our right, title, and interest in and to the capital commitments of our private investors, including our right to make capital calls, receive and apply capital contributions, enforce remedies and claims related thereto together with capital call proceeds and related rights, and a pledge of the collateral account into which capital call proceeds are deposited. On May 31, 2019, in conjunction with securing and entering into the new Credit Agreement, we terminated the Credit Facilities.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company drew down $82,750,000 and repaid $77,250,000, of which $65,000,000 remains outstanding at September 30, 2019. At September 31, 2019 interest was accruing at a rate of 5.40%. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company drew down $74,500,000 and repaid $15,000,000, of which $59,500,000 remained outstanding at December 31, 2018. At December 31, 2018 interest was accruing at a rate of 5.00% per annum. See “Note 10 – Credit Facilities” to our financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q for more information on the Credit Facilities.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We currently have no off-balance sheet arrangements, including any risk management of commodity pricing or other hedging practices.
To the extent that we have funds available, we intend to make quarterly distributions to our stockholders. Our stockholder distributions, if any, will be determined by our Board of Directors. Any distribution to our stockholders will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution. We anticipate that distributions will be paid from income primarily generated by interest and dividend income earned on investments made by us. We maintain an “opt out” dividend reinvestment plan for our common stockholders. As a result, if we declare a distribution, then stockholders’ cash distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, unless they specifically “opt out” of the dividend reinvestment plan so as to receive cash distributions. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, we declared dividends in the amount of $31,855,046, of which $6,469,908, was paid in cash and the remainder distributed in shares to stockholders pursuant to our dividend reinvestment plan. During the year ended December 31, 2018 we declared and paid dividends in the amount of $7,283,810, of which $1,428,498 was distributed in cash and the remainder distributed in shares to stockholders pursuant to our dividend reinvestment plan.
The timing and amount of our distributions, if any, will be determined by our Board of Directors and will be declared out of assets legally available for distribution. The following table shows the dividends per share declared since our formation through September 30, 2019.
(1) Distribution recorded as dividend payable as of September 30, 2019.
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of the financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and revenues and expenses during the period reports. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We believe that our most critical accounting policies, which are those that are most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and require management’s most difficult, subjective and complex judgments, include the valuation of investments and our election to be treated, and intent to qualify annually, as a RIC. See “Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” to our financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q, which describes our critical accounting policies and recently adopted accounting pronouncements not yet required to be adopted by us.
We measure the value of our investments at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 820, issued by the FASB. Fair value is 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.
The Audit Committee is responsible for assisting our Board of Directors in valuing investments that are not publicly traded or for which current market values are not readily available. Investments for which market quotations are readily available are valued using market quotations, which are generally obtained from independent pricing services, broker-dealers or market makers. With respect to portfolio investments for which market quotations are not readily available, our Board of Directors, with the assistance of the Audit Committee, RGC and its senior investment team and independent valuation agents, is responsible for determining, in good faith, the fair value in accordance with the valuation policy approved by our Board of Directors. If more than one valuation method is used to measure fair value, the results are evaluated and weighted, as appropriate, considering the reasonableness of the range indicated by those results. We consider a range of fair values based upon the valuation techniques utilized and select the value within that range that was most representative of fair value based on current market conditions as well as other factors RGC’s senior investment team considers relevant.
Our Board of Directors makes this fair value determination on a quarterly basis and any other time when a decision regarding the fair value of the portfolio investments is required. A determination of fair value involves subjective judgments and estimates and depends on the facts and circumstances. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of portfolio investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a readily available market value existed for such investments, and the differences could be material.
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 observable input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The 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.
With respect to investments for which market quotations are not readily available, our Board of Directors undertakes a multi-step valuation process each quarter, as described below:
Our investments are primarily loans made to small, fast-growing companies focused in technology, life sciences, health care information and services, business services and other high-growth industries. These investments are considered Level 3 assets under ASC Topic 820 because there is no known or accessible market or market indices for these types of debt instruments and, thus, RGC’s senior investment team must estimate the fair value of these investment securities based on models utilizing unobservable inputs.
Debt Investments.To determine the fair value of our debt investments, we compare the cost basis of the debt investment, which includes original issue discount, to the resulting fair value determined using a discounted cash flow model, unless another model is more appropriate based on the circumstances at the measurement date. The discounted cash flow approach entails analyzing the interest rate spreads for recently completed financing transactions which are similar in nature to our investments, in order to determine a comparable range of effective market interest rates for our investments. The range of interest rate spreads utilized is based on borrowers with similar credit profiles. All remaining expected cash flows of the investment are discounted using this range of interest rates to determine a range of fair values for the debt investment.
This valuation process includes, among other things, evaluating the underlying investment performance, the portfolio company’s current financial condition and ability to raise additional capital, as well as macro-economic events that may impact valuations. These events include, but are not limited to, current market yields and interest rate spreads of similar securities as of the measurement date. Significant increases or decreases in these unobservable inputs could result in a significantly higher or lower fair value measurement; however, a significantly higher or lower fair value measurement of any of the Company’s portfolio investments may occur regardless of whether there is a significant increase or decrease in these unobservable inputs
Under certain circumstances, we may use an alternative technique to value the debt investments to be acquired by us that better reflects the fair value of the investment, such as the price paid or realized in a recently completed transaction or a binding offer received in an arms-length transaction, the use of multiple probability-weighted cash flow models when the expected future cash flows contain elements of variability or estimates of proceeds that would be received in a liquidation scenario.
Warrants. Fair value of warrants is primarily determined using a Black Scholes option-pricing model. Privately held warrants and equity-related securities are valued based on an analysis of various factors including, but not limited to, the following:
Under certain circumstances we may use an alternative technique to value warrants that better reflects the warrants’ fair values, such as an expected settlement of a warrant in the near term, a model that incorporates a put feature associated with the warrant, or the price paid or realized in a recently completed transaction or binding offer received in an arms-length transaction. The fair value may be determined based on the expected proceeds to be received from such settlement or based on the net present value of the expected proceeds from the put option.
Equity Investments.The fair value of an equity investment in a privately held company is initially the face value of the amount invested. We adjust the fair value of equity investments in private companies upon the completion of a new third-party round of equity financing subsequent to our investment. We may make adjustments to fair value, absent a new equity financing event, based upon positive or negative changes in a portfolio company’s financial or operational performance. We may also reference comparable transactions and/or secondary market transactions in connection with our determination of fair value. The fair value of an equity investment in a publicly traded company is based upon the closing public share price on the date of measurement. These assets are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. These valuation methodologies involve a significant degree of judgment. There is no single standard for determining the fair value of investments that do not have an active public market. Valuations of privately held investments are inherently uncertain, as they are based on estimates, and their values may fluctuate over time. The determination of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if an active market for these investments existed. In some cases, the fair value of such investments is best expressed as a range of values derived utilizing different methodologies from which a fair value may then be determined.
Fair Value
The Company’s assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the requirements of ASC Topic 820 at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 were as follows:
The Company recognized transfers into and out of the levels indicated above at the end of the reporting period. There were no transfers into or out of the levels during the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and the year ended December 31, 2018.
Security transactions, if any, are recorded on a trade-date basis. We measure realized gains or losses from the repayment or sale of investments using the specific identification method. The amortized cost basis of investments represents the original cost adjusted for the accretion/amortization of discounts and premiums and upfront loan origination fees. We report changes in fair value of investments that are measured at fair value as a component of net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments in the statement of operations.
Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Interest income, if any, adjusted for amortization of market premium and accretion of market discount, is recorded on an accrual basis to the extent that we expect to collect such amounts. Original issue discount, principally representing the estimated fair value of detachable equity or warrants obtained in conjunction with our debt investments, loan origination fees, end of term payments, and market discount or premium are capitalized and accreted or amortized into interest income over the life of the respective security using the effective interest method. Loan origination fees received in connection with the closing of investments are reported as unearned income, which is included as amortized cost of the investment; the unearned income from such fees is accreted over the contractual life of the loan based on the effective interest method. Upon prepayment of a loan or debt security, any prepayment penalties, unamortized loan origination fees, end of term payments and unamortized market discounts are recorded as interest income.
Management and Incentive Fees
We accrue for base management fees and incentive fees. The accrual for incentive fees includes the recognition of incentive fees on unrealized capital gains, even though such incentive fees are neither earned nor payable to RGC until the gains are both realized and in excess of unrealized depreciation on investments. See “Note 7 – Related Party Agreements and Transactions” to our financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q for more information on the Amended Advisory Agreement and the fee structure thereunder.
We have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. Generally, a RIC is not subject to U.S. federal income taxes on distributed income and gains if it distributes at least 90% of its net ordinary income and net short-term capital gains in excess of its net long-term capital losses, if any, to its stockholders. So long as we qualify, and maintain our status, as a RIC, we generally will not pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that we distribute at least annually to our stockholders as dividends. Rather, any tax liability related to income earned by us represents obligations of our investors and will not be reflected in the financial statements of the Company. We intend to make sufficient distributions to maintain our RIC tax treatment each year and we do not anticipate paying any material U.S. federal income taxes in the future.
Recent Developments
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We commenced investment activities in portfolio securities during the quarter ended June 30, 2017 and commenced investment activities in U.S. Treasury Bills during the quarter ended December 31, 2016.
We are subject to financial market risk, including changes in the valuations of our investment portfolio. Market risk includes risks that arise from changes in interest rates, commodity prices, equity prices and other market changes that affect market sensitive instruments. The prices of securities held by us may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the companies we invest in; conditions affecting the general economy; overall market changes; legislative reform; local, regional, national or global political, social or economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Valuation Risk
Our investments may not have a readily available market price, and we value these investments at fair value as determined in good faith by our Board of Directors in accordance with our valuation policy. There is no single standard for determining fair value in good faith. As a result, determining fair value requires that judgment be applied to the specific facts and circumstances of each portfolio investment while employing a consistently applied valuation process for the types of investments we make. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of our investments may fluctuate from period to period. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, these estimated values may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market for the investments existed, and it is possible that the difference could be material.
Interest Rate Risk
Interest rate risk is defined as the sensitivity of our current and future earnings to interest rate volatility, variability of spread relationships, the difference in re-pricing intervals between our assets and liabilities and the effect that interest rates may have on our cash flows. Changes in the general level of interest rates can affect our net interest income, which is the difference between the interest income earned on interest earning assets and our interest expense incurred in connection with our interest-bearing debt and liabilities. Changes in interest rates can also affect, among other things, our ability to acquire and originate loans and securities and the value of our investment portfolio. Our net investment income is affected by fluctuations in various interest rates, including LIBOR and prime rates.
We typically expect that interest rates on the investments held in our portfolio will be based on LIBOR, with many of these investments also having a LIBOR floor. As of September 30, 2019, 100.0%, or $346,042,968 (at cost), of our debt portfolio investments bore interest at variable rates, which are U.S. Prime Rate or LIBOR-based and subject to certain floors, and none of our debt portfolio investments bore interest at fixed rates. As of September 30, 2019, 2.4% of our debt portfolio investments, or $8,363,015 (at cost), are subject to a 11.5% cap on cash interest. Any interest above the cap will accrue to principal and be treated as PIK interest. A hypothetical 200 basis point increase or decrease in the interest rates on our variable-rate debt investments could increase our investment income by a maximum of approximately $7,135,245 and decrease our investment income by a maximum of approximately $554,357 on an annual basis.
Borrowings under the Credit Facilities bear interest, at our election at the time of drawdown, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of LIBOR rate loans, the LIBOR rate for the applicable interest period plus 2.50% or (ii) in the case of prime rate loans, CIBC’s prime commercial rate at the time of the borrowing minus 0.50%.
The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, has announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. It is unclear if at that time whether LIBOR will cease to exist or if new methods of calculating LIBOR will be established such that it continues to exist after 2021. At this time, it is not possible to predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of alternative reference rates or any other reforms to LIBOR that may be enacted. The elimination of LIBOR or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR could have an adverse impact on the market for or value of any LIBOR-linked securities, loans, and other financial obligations or extensions of credit held by or due to us or on our overall financial condition or results of operations. In addition, if LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to renegotiate agreements extending beyond 2021 with our portfolio companies that utilize LIBOR as a factor in determining the interest rate, in order to replace LIBOR with the new standard that is established, which may have an adverse effect on our overall financial condition or results of operations. Following the replacement of LIBOR, some or all of these agreements may bear interest a lower interest rate, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations. Moreover, if LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to renegotiate certain terms of our credit facilities. If we are unable to do so, amounts drawn under our credit facilities may bear interest at a higher rate, which would increase the cost of our borrowings and, in turn, affect our results of operations.
Because we currently borrow, and plan to borrow in the future, money to make investments, our net investment income would be dependent upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds and the rate at which we invest the funds borrowed. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds would increase, which could reduce our net investment income if there is not a corresponding increase in interest income generated by our investment portfolio.
We regularly measure exposure to interest rate risk. We assess interest rate risk and manage interest rate exposure on an ongoing basis by comparing our interest rate sensitive assets to our interest rate sensitive liabilities. We may hedge against interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations by using standard hedging instruments such as futures, options and forward contracts subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act. While hedging activities may insulate us against adverse changes in interest rates, they may also limit our ability to participate in benefits of lower interest rates with respect to our portfolio of investments with fixed interest rates.
In addition, any investments we make that are denominated in a foreign currency will be subject to risks associated with changes in currency exchange rates. These risks include the possibility of significant fluctuations in the foreign currency markets, the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls and potential illiquidity in the secondary market. These risks will vary depending upon the currency or currencies involved.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As of the end of the period covered by this report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act). Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our current disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting them to material information relating to us that is required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act.
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during our most recently completed fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
We are not currently subject to any material legal proceedings, nor, to our knowledge, is any material legal proceeding threatened against us. From time to time, we may be a party to certain legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including proceedings relating to the enforcement of our rights under contracts with our portfolio companies. Our business is also subject to extensive regulation, which may result in regulatory proceedings against us. While the outcome of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not expect that these proceedings will have a material effect upon our financial condition or results of operations.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
You should carefully consider the risks described below and all other information contained in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, including our interim financial statements and the related notes thereto, before making a decision to purchase our securities. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks and uncertainties note currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and/or operating results.
If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. If that happens, you may lose all or part of your investment. Other than as set forth below, there have been no material changes during the period ended September 30, 2019 to the risk factors discussed in “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2019.
The interest rates of our loans to our portfolio companies that extend beyond 2021 might be subject to change based on recent regulatory changes.
LIBOR, the London Interbank Offered Rate, is the basic rate of interest used in lending transactions between banks on the London interbank market and is widely used as a reference for setting the interest rate on loans globally. We typically use LIBOR as a reference rate in term loans we extend to portfolio companies such that the interest due to us pursuant to a term loan extended to a portfolio company is calculated using LIBOR. The terms of our debt investments generally include minimum interest rate floors which are calculated based on LIBOR.
On July 27, 2017, the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. It is unclear if at that time whether LIBOR will cease to exist or if new methods of calculating LIBOR will be established such that it continues to exist after 2021. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, is considering replacing U.S. dollar LIBOR with a new index calculated by short term repurchase agreements, backed by Treasury securities called the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). The first publication of SOFR was released in April 2018. Whether or not SOFR attains market traction as a LIBOR replacement remains a question and the future of LIBOR at this time is uncertain. At this time, it is not possible to predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of alternative reference rates or any other reforms to LIBOR that may be enacted. The elimination of LIBOR or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of LIBOR could have an adverse impact on the market for or value of any LIBOR-linked securities, loans, and other financial obligations or extensions of credit held by or due to us or on our overall financial condition or results of operations. In addition, if LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to renegotiate agreements extending beyond 2021 with our portfolio companies that utilize LIBOR as a factor in determining the interest rate, in order to replace LIBOR with the new standard that is established, which may have an adverse effect on our overall financial condition or results of operations. Following the replacement of LIBOR, some or all of these agreements may bear interest a lower interest rate, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations. Moreover, if LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to renegotiate certain terms of our credit facilities. If we are unable to do so, amounts drawn under our credit facilities may bear interest at a higher rate, which would increase the cost of our borrowings and, in turn, affect our results of operations.
Technology-related sectors, including those involving data processing and outsourced services and technology hardware, in which we invest are subject to many risks, including volatility, intense competition, decreasing life cycles, product obsolescence, changing consumer preferences and periodic downturns.
Given the experience of RGC’s senior investment professionals within the technology space, a number of the companies in which we intend to invest operate in technology-related sectors. The revenue, income (or losses) and valuations of technology-related companies can and often do fluctuate suddenly and dramatically. Economic downturn may cause a decline in spending on information technology and technology hardware products. In addition, because of rapid technological change, the average selling prices of products and some services provided by technology-related sectors have historically decreased over their productive lives. As a result, the average selling prices of products and services offered by our portfolio companies that operate in technology-related sectors may decrease over time, which could adversely affect their operating results and, correspondingly, the value of any securities that we may hold. This could, in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The semiconductor industry is subject to many risks, including intense competition, volatility, and increasing costs and complexity of research and development.
A number of the companies in which invest operate in the semiconductor industry. The semiconductor industry is highly cyclical and is characterized by constant and rapid technological change, price erosion, evolving standards, short product life cycles and wide fluctuations in product supply and demand. Any future downturns may result in diminished product demand, production overcapacity, high inventory levels and accelerated erosion of average selling prices for our portfolio companies. Furthermore, any upturn in the semiconductor industry could result in increased competition for access to third-party foundry and assembly capacity for our portfolio companies. Our portfolio companies are dependent on the availability of this capacity to manufacture and assemble all of their products. These risks that our portfolio companies face could, in turn, materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The internet retail industry is subject to many risks and is highly competitive.
A number of the companies in which we invest operate in the internet retail industry. The internet retail industry is highly competitive. This competition is increasingly intense as a number of internet-based retailers have started and failed in recent years. Competitors include larger companies than the portfolio companies in which we invest, which, in particular, may have access to greater resources, may be more successful in the recruitment and retention of qualified employees which may give them a competitive advantage. In addition, actual or potential competitors may be strengthened through the acquisition of additional assets and interests. If our portfolio companies are unable to compete effectively or adequately respond to competitive pressures, this inability may materially adversely affect our results of operation and financial condition.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Other than pursuant to our dividend reinvestment plan, and except as previously reported by us on our current reports on Form 8-K, we did not sell any securities during the period covered by this Form 10-Q that were not registered under the Securities Act.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
Item 5. Other Information
Item 6. Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as part of this report or hereby incorporated by reference to exhibits previously filed with the SEC:
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.