INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN CHANTICLEER DIVIDEND FUND, INC. AND CHANTICLEER ADVISORS, LLC
Exhibit
(g)
INVESTMENT
ADVISORY AND
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
AND
CHANTICLEER
ADVISORS, LLC
This
Agreement (the “Agreement”)
made this ___th day of
January, 2011, by and between CHANTICLEER DIVIDEND FUND, INC., a Maryland
corporation (the “Company”),
and CHANTICLEER ADVISORS, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company (the
“Adviser”).
WHEREAS,
the Company is a newly organized non-diversified, closed-end management
investment company that intends to elect to be treated as a business development
company (“BDC”)
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment
Company Act”); and
WHEREAS,
the Adviser is an organized investment adviser that intends to register as an
investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the
“Advisers
Act”); and
WHEREAS,
the Company desires to retain the Adviser to furnish investment advisory
services to the Company and to provide for the administrative services necessary
for the operation of the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set
forth, and the Adviser wishes to be retained to provide such
services;
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and for other good and valuable
consideration, the parties hereby agree as follows:
|
1.
|
Duties of the
Adviser.
|
(a) Retention of Adviser.
The Company hereby employs the Adviser to act as the investment adviser to the
Company and to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the
Company, subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors of the Company
(the “Board”),
for the period and upon the terms herein set forth:
|
(i)
|
in
accordance with the investment objectives, policies and restrictions that
are set forth in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”),
as amended from time to time (the “Registration
Statement”); and
|
|
(ii)
|
during
the term of this Agreement in accordance with all other applicable federal
and state laws, rules and regulations, and the Company’s charter and
bylaws, in each case as amended from time to
time.
|
(b) Responsibilities of
Adviser. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Adviser
shall, during the term and subject to the provisions of this
Agreement:
1
|
(i)
|
determine
the composition and allocation of the portfolio of the Company, the nature
and timing of the changes therein and the manner of implementing such
changes;
|
|
(ii)
|
identify,
evaluate and negotiate the structure of the investments made by the
Company;
|
|
(iii)
|
execute,
monitor and service the Company’s
investments;
|
|
(iv)
|
determine
the securities and other assets that the Company shall purchase, retain or
sell;
|
|
(v)
|
perform
due diligence on prospective portfolio companies;
and
|
|
(vi)
|
provide
the Company with such other investment advisory, research and related
services as the Company may, from time to time, reasonably require for the
investment of its funds.
|
(c) Power and Authority.
To facilitate the Adviser’s performance of these undertakings, but subject to
the restrictions contained herein, the Company hereby delegates to the Adviser,
and the Adviser hereby accepts, the power and authority on behalf of the Company
to effectuate its investment decisions for the Company, including the execution
and delivery of all documents relating to the Company’s investments and the
placing of orders for other purchase or sale transactions on behalf of the
Company. In the event that the Company determines to acquire debt financing, the
Adviser shall arrange for such financing on the Company’s behalf, subject to the
oversight and approval of the Board.
(d) Administrative
Services. Subject to the supervision, direction and control of the Board,
the provisions of the Articles and Bylaws of the Company, and applicable federal
and state law, the Adviser shall perform, or cause to be performed by other
persons, all administrative services in connection with the operation of the
Company.
(e) Acceptance of
Employment. The Adviser hereby accepts such employment and agrees during
the term hereof to render the services described herein for the compensation
provided herein, subject to the limitations contained herein.
(f)
Sub-Advisers.
The Adviser is hereby authorized to enter into one or more sub-advisory
agreements with other investment advisers (each, a “Sub-Adviser”)
pursuant to which the Adviser may obtain the services of the Sub-Adviser(s) to
assist the Adviser in fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder. Specifically,
the Adviser may retain a Sub-Adviser to recommend specific securities or other
investments based upon the Company’s investment objectives, policies and
restrictions, and work, along with the Adviser, in sourcing, structuring,
negotiating, arranging or effecting the acquisition or disposition of such
investments and monitoring investments on behalf of the Company, subject to the
oversight of the Adviser and the Company.
|
(i)
|
The
Adviser and not the Company shall be responsible for any compensation
payable to any Sub-Adviser.
|
|
(ii)
|
Any
sub-advisory agreement entered into by the Adviser shall be in accordance
with the requirements of the Investment Company Act, including without
limitation the requirements relating to Board and Company shareholder
approval thereunder, and other applicable federal and state
law.
|
|
(iii)
|
Any
Sub-Adviser shall be subject to the same fiduciary duties imposed on the
Adviser pursuant to this Agreement, the Investment Company Act and the
Advisers Act, as well as other applicable federal and state
law.
|
2
(g) Independent Contractor
Status. The Adviser shall, for all purposes herein provided, be deemed to
be an independent contractor and, except as expressly provided or authorized
herein, shall have no authority to act for or represent the Company in any way
or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Company.
(h) Record Retention.
Subject to review by and the overall control of the Board, the Adviser shall
keep and preserve for the period required by the Investment Company Act any
books and records relevant to the provision of its investment advisory services
to the Company and shall specifically maintain all books and records with
respect to the Company’s portfolio transactions and shall render to the Board
such periodic and special reports as the Board may reasonably request or as may
be required under applicable federal and state law, and shall make such records
available for inspection by the Board and its authorized agents, at any time and
from time to time during normal business hours. The Adviser agrees that all
records that it maintains for the Company are the property of the Company and
shall surrender promptly to the Company any such records upon the Company’s
request and upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9,
provided that the Adviser may retain a copy of such records.
The
following provisions in this Section 1 shall apply for only so long as the
shares of the Company are not listed on a national securities
exchange.
(i)
Administrator.
The Adviser shall, upon by request by an official or agency administering the
securities laws of a state, province, or commonwealth (an “Administrator”),
submit to such Administrator the reports and statements required to be
distributed to Company stockholders pursuant to this Agreement, the Registration
Statement and applicable federal and state law.
(j)
Fiduciary
Duty. It is acknowledged that the Adviser shall have a fiduciary
responsibility for the safekeeping and use of all funds and assets of the
Company, whether or not in the Adviser’s immediate possession or control. The
Adviser shall not employ, or permit another to employ, such funds or assets in
any manner except for the exclusive benefit of the Company. The Adviser shall
not, by entry into an agreement with any stockholder of the Company or
otherwise, contract away the fiduciary obligation owed to the Company and the
Company stockholders under common law.
|
2.
|
Company’s
Responsibilities and Expenses Payable by the
Company.
|
(a) Adviser Personnel.
All personnel of the Adviser, when and to the extent engaged in providing
investment advisory services hereunder, and the compensation and routine
overhead expenses of such personnel allocable to such services, shall be
provided and paid for by the Adviser and not by the Company.
(b) Costs. Subject to the
limitations on reimbursement of the Adviser as set forth in Section 2(c)
below, the Company, either directly or through reimbursement to the Adviser,
shall bear all other costs and expenses of its operations and transactions,
including (without limitation) fees and expenses relating to: expenses deemed to
be “organization and offering expenses” of the Company for purposes of Conduct
Rule 2310(a)(12) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (for purposes of
this Agreement, such expenses, exclusive of commissions, the dealer manager fee
and any discounts, are hereinafter referred to as “Organization and
Offering Expenses”); amounts paid to third parties for administrative
services; the investigation and monitoring of the Company’s investments; the
cost of calculating the Company’s net asset value; the cost of effecting sales
and repurchases of shares of the Company’s common stock and other securities;
management and incentive fees payable pursuant to the investment advisory
agreement; fees payable to third parties relating to, or associated with, making
investments and valuing investments (including third-party valuation firms),
transfer agent and custodial fees, fees and expenses associated with marketing
efforts (including attendance at investment conferences and similar events);
federal and state registration fees; any exchange listing fees; federal, state
and local taxes; independent directors’ fees and expenses; brokerage
commissions; costs of proxy statements; stockholders’ reports and notices; costs
of preparing government filings, including periodic and current reports with the
SEC; fidelity bond, liability insurance and other insurance premiums; and
printing, mailing, independent accountants and outside legal costs.
3
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company shall not be liable for Organization and Offering
Expenses to the extent that Organization and Offering Expenses, together with
all prior Organization Offering Expenses, exceeds the greater of $75,000 and
1.5% of the aggregate gross proceeds from the offering of the Company’s
securities (the “Offering
Proceeds”). The Company shall be obligated to reimburse the Adviser for
all current and past Organization and Offering Expenses paid by the Adviser and
not already reimbursed by the Company (the “Reimburseable
O&O Expenses”) as follows:
|
(i)
|
if
the Offering Proceeds are $5,000,000 or less, the Company shall reimburse
the Adviser for such Reimburseable O&O Expenses to the extent that the
Reimburseable O&O Expenses, together with all past Organization and
Offering Expenses for which the Adviser has received reimbursement, does
not exceed $75,000; or
|
|
(ii)
|
if
the Offering Proceeds exceed $5,000,000, the Company shall reimburse the
Adviser for such Reimburseable O&O Expenses to the extent that the
Reimburseable O&O Expenses, together with all past Organization and
Offering Expenses for which the Adviser has received reimbursement, does
not exceed an amount equal to 1.5% of the Offering Proceeds, or a maximum
reimbursement of $1,875,000, assuming the maximum offering size is
$125,000,000.
|
The
following provisions in this Section 2(c) shall apply for only so long as
the shares of the Company are not listed on a national securities
exchange.
(c) Limitations on Reimbursement
of Expenses.
|
(i)
|
In
addition to the compensation paid to the Adviser pursuant to
Section 3, the Company shall reimburse the Adviser for all expenses
of the Company incurred by the Adviser as well as the actual cost of goods
and services used for or by the Company and obtained from entities not
affiliated with the Adviser. The Adviser may be reimbursed for the
administrative services performed by it on behalf of the Company;
provided, however, the reimbursement shall be an amount equal to the lower
of the Adviser’s actual cost or the amount the Company would be required
to pay third parties for the provision of comparable administrative
services in the same geographic location; and provided, further, that such
costs are reasonably allocated to the Company on the basis of assets,
revenues, time records or other method conforming with generally accepted
accounting principles. No reimbursement shall be permitted for services
for which the Adviser is entitled to compensation by way of a separate
fee. Excluded from the allowable reimbursement shall
be:
|
|
(A)
|
rent
or depreciation, utilities, capital equipment and other administrative
items of the Adviser; and
|
|
(B)
|
salaries,
fringe benefits, travel expenses and other administrative items incurred
or allocated to any executive officer or board member of the Adviser (or
any individual performing such services) or a holder of 10% or greater
equity interest in the Adviser (or any person having the power to direct
or cause the direction of the Adviser, whether by ownership of voting
securities, by contract or
otherwise).
|
4
(d) Periodic
Reimbursement. Expenses incurred by the Adviser on behalf of the Company
and payable pursuant to this Section 2 shall be reimbursed no less than
monthly to the Adviser. The Adviser shall prepare a statement documenting the
expenses of the Company and the calculation of the reimbursement and shall
deliver such statement to the Company prior to full reimbursement.
3. Compensation
of the Adviser.
The Company agrees to pay, and the Adviser agrees to accept, as compensation for
the services provided by the Adviser hereunder, a base management fee (“Base Management
Fee”) and an incentive fee (“Incentive
Fee”) as hereinafter set forth. The Adviser may agree to temporarily or
permanently waive, in whole or in part, the Base Management Fee and/or the
Incentive Fee. See Appendix A for examples of how these fees are
calculated.
(a) Base Management Fee.
The Base Management Fee shall be calculated at an annual rate of 1.6% of the
Company’s average gross assets. The Base Management Fee shall be payable
quarterly in arrears, and shall be calculated based on the average value of the
Company’s gross assets at the end of the two most recently completed calendar
quarters. All or any part of the Base Management Fee not taken as to any quarter
shall be deferred without interest and may be taken in such other quarter as the
Adviser shall determine. The Base Management Fee for any partial month or
quarter shall be appropriately prorated.
(b) Incentive Fee. The
Incentive Fee shall consist of three parts, as follows:
|
(i)
|
The
first part, referred to as the “Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income,”
shall be calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on the
Company’s “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately
preceding quarter. The payment of the Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income
shall be subject to payment of a preferred return to investors each
quarter, expressed as a quarterly rate of return on Adjusted Capital (as
defined below) at the beginning of the most recently completed calendar
quarter, of 2.00% (8.00% annualized), subject to a “catch up” feature (as
described below).
|
|
(A)
|
For
this purpose, “Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income” means interest income, dividend income
and any other income (including any other fees, other than fees for
providing managerial assistance, such as commitment, origination,
structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that the Company
receives from portfolio companies) accrued during the calendar quarter,
minus the Company’s operating expenses for the quarter (including the base
management fee, expenses payable under the administration agreement and
any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding
preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee). Pre-Incentive Fee Net
Investment Income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred
interest feature (such as original issue discount debt instruments with
payment-in-kind interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that
the Company has not yet received in cash. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment
Income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital
losses or unrealized capital appreciation or
depreciation.
|
|
(B)
|
For
purposes of this fee, “Adjusted
Capital” shall mean cumulative gross proceeds generated from sales
of the Company’s common stock (including proceeds from the Company’s
distribution reinvestment plan) reduced for distributions from
non-liquidating dispositions of the Company’s investments paid to
shareholders and amounts paid for share repurchases pursuant to the
Company’s share repurchase program.
|
5
|
(ii)
|
The
calculation of the Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income for each quarter
is as follows:
|
|
(A)
|
No
Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income shall be payable to the Adviser in
any calendar quarter in which the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net
Investment Income does not exceed the preferred return rate of 2.00% or
8.00% annualized (the “Preferred Return”) on Adjusted
Capital;
|
|
(B)
|
100%
of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that
exceeds the preferred return but is less than or equal to 2.50% in any
calendar quarter (10.00% annualized) shall be payable to the
Adviser. This portion of the company’s Subordinated Incentive Fee on
Income is referred to as the “catch up” and is intended to provide the
Adviser with an incentive fee of 20% on all of the Company’s Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income when the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net
Investment Income reaches 2.50% (10.00% annualized) in any calendar
quarter; and
|
|
(C)
|
For
any quarter in which the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
exceeds 2.50% (10.00% annualized), the Subordinated Incentive Fee on
Income shall equal 20% of the amount of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee
Net Investment Income, as the Preferred Return and catch-up will have been
achieved.
|
|
(iii)
|
The
second part of the incentive fee, referred to as the “Incentive Fee on
Capital Gains During Operations,” shall be an incentive fee on capital
gains earned on liquidated investments from the portfolio during
operations prior to the liquidation of the Company and shall be determined
and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon
termination of the investment advisory agreement). This fee shall
equal 20.0% of the Company’s incentive fee capital gains, which shall
equal the Company’s realized capital gains on a cumulative basis from
inception, calculated as of the end of each calendar year, computed net of
all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a
cumulative basis, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital
gain incentive fees.
|
|
(iv)
|
The
third part of the incentive fee, referred to as the “Subordinated
Liquidation Incentive Fee,” shall equal 20.0% of the net proceeds from the
liquidation of the Company remaining after investors have received
distributions of net proceeds from liquidation of the Company equal to
Adjusted Capital as calculated immediately prior to
liquidation.
|
|
4.
|
Covenants of the
Adviser.
|
(a) Adviser Status. The
Adviser covenants that it will register as an investment adviser under the
Advisers Act and will maintain such registration. The Adviser agrees that its
activities will at all times be in compliance in all material respects with all
applicable federal and state laws governing its operations and
investments.
The following
provisions in this Section 4 shall apply for only so long as the shares of
the Company are not listed on a national securities
exchange.
6
(b) Reports to
Stockholders. The Adviser shall prepare or shall cause to be prepared and
distributed to stockholders during each year the following reports of the
Company (either included in a periodic report filed with the SEC or distributed
in a separate report):
|
(i)
|
Quarterly
Reports. Within 60 days of the end of each quarter, a report
containing the same financial information contained in the Company’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the Company under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
|
|
(ii)
|
Annual Report.
Within 120 days after the end of the Company’s fiscal year, an annual
report containing:
|
|
(A)
|
A
balance sheet as of the end of each fiscal year and statements of income,
equity, and cash flow, for the year then ended, all of which shall be
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principals and
accompanied by an auditor’s report containing an opinion of an independent
certified public accountant;
|
|
(B)
|
A
report of the activities of the Company during the period covered by the
report;
|
|
(C)
|
Where
forecasts have been provided to the Company’s shareholders, a table
comparing the forecasts previously provided with the actual results during
the period covered by the report;
and
|
|
(D)
|
A
report setting forth distributions by the Company for the period covered
thereby and separately identifying distributions from (i) cash flow
from operations during the period; (ii) cash flow from operations
during a prior period which have been held as reserves; and
(iii) proceeds from disposition of Company
assets.
|
|
(iii)
|
Previous Reimbursement
Reports. The Adviser shall prepare or shall cause to be prepared a
report, prepared in accordance with the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants United States Auditing Standards relating to special
reports, and distributed to stockholders not less than annually,
containing an itemized list of the costs reimbursed to the Adviser
pursuant to Section 2(c) for the previous fiscal year. The special
report shall at a minimum provide:
|
|
(A)
|
A
review of the time records of individual employees, the costs of whose
services were reimbursed; and
|
|
(B)
|
A
review of the specific nature of the work performed by each such
employee.
|
|
(iv)
|
Proposed Reimbursement
Reports. The Adviser shall prepare or shall cause to be prepared a
report containing an itemized estimate of all proposed expenses for which
it shall receive reimbursements pursuant to Section 2(c) of this
Agreement for the next fiscal year, together with a breakdown by year of
such expenses reimbursed in each of the last five public programs formed
by the Adviser.
|
(c) Reports to
Administrators. The Adviser shall, upon written request of any
Administrator, submit any of the reports and statements to be prepared and
distributed by it pursuant to this Section 4 to such
Administrator.
(d) Reserves. In
performing its duties hereunder, the Adviser shall cause the Company to provide
for adequate reserves for normal replacements and contingencies (but not for
payment of fees payable to the Adviser hereunder) by causing the Company to
retain a reasonable percentage of proceeds from offerings and
revenues.
7
(e) Recommendations Regarding
Reviews. From time to time, and not less than quarterly, the Adviser must
review the Company’s accounts to determine whether cash distributions are
appropriate. The Company may, subject to authorization by the Board of
Directors, distribute pro rata to the stockholders funds received by the Company
which the Adviser deems unnecessary to retain in the Company.
(f)
Temporary
Investments. The Investment Adviser shall, in its sole discretion,
temporarily place proceeds from offerings by the Company into short term, highly
liquid investments which, in its reasonable judgment, afford appropriate safety
of principal during such time as it is determining the composition and
allocation of the portfolio of the Company and the nature, timing and
implementation of any changes thereto pursuant to Section 1(b); provided
however, that the Investment Adviser shall be under no fiduciary obligation to
select any such short-term, highly liquid investment based solely on any yield
or return of such investment. The Investment Adviser shall cause any proceeds of
the offering of Company securities not committed for investment within the later
of two years from the date of effectiveness of the Registration Statement or one
year from termination of the offering, unless a longer period is permitted by
the applicable Administrator, to be paid as a distribution to the stockholders
of the Company as a return of capital without deduction of Front End Fees (as
defined below).
|
5.
|
Brokerage Commissions,
Limitations on Front End Fees; Period of Offering;
Assessments.
|
(a) Brokerage
Commissions. The Adviser is hereby authorized, to the fullest extent now
or hereafter permitted by law, to cause the Company to pay a member of a
national securities exchange, broker or dealer an amount of commission for
effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of commission another
member of such exchange, broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that
transaction, if the Adviser determines in good faith, taking into account such
factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer
spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, and operational facilities of
the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities, that
such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the
brokerage and/or research services provided by such member, broker or dealer,
viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or its overall
responsibilities with respect to the Company’s portfolio, and constitutes the
best net results for the Company.
The following
provisions in this Section 5 shall apply for only so long as the shares of
the Company are not listed on a national securities
exchange.
(b) Limitations.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary:
|
(i)
|
All
fees and expenses paid by any party for any services rendered to organize
the Company and to acquire assets for the Company (“Front End
Fees”) shall be reasonable and shall not exceed 18% of the gross
offering proceeds, regardless of the source of payment. Any reimbursement
to the Adviser or any other person for deferred organizational and
offering expenses, including any interest thereon, if any, will be
included within this 18%
limitation.
|
|
(ii)
|
The
Adviser shall commit at least 82% of the gross offering proceeds
towards the investment or reinvestment of assets and reserves as set forth
in Section 4(d) above on behalf of the Company. The remaining
proceeds may be used to pay Front End
Fees.
|
8
|
6.
|
Other Activities of
the Adviser.
|
The
services of the Adviser to the Company are not exclusive, and the Adviser may
engage in any other business or render similar or different services to others
including, without limitation, the direct or indirect sponsorship or management
of other investment based accounts or commingled pools of capital, however
structured, having investment objectives similar to those of the Company, so
long as its services to the Company hereunder are not impaired thereby, and
nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the right of any manager,
partner, member (including its members and the owners of its members), officer
or employee of the Adviser to engage in any other business or to devote his or
her time and attention in part to any other business, whether of a similar or
dissimilar nature, or to receive any fees or compensation in connection
therewith (including fees for serving as a director of, or providing consulting
services to, one or more of the Company’s portfolio companies, subject to
applicable law). The Adviser assumes no responsibility under this Agreement
other than to render the services called for hereunder. It is understood that
directors, officers, employees and stockholders of the Company are or may become
interested in the Adviser and its affiliates, as directors, officers, employees,
partners, stockholders, members, managers or otherwise, and that the Adviser and
directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members and managers of
the Adviser and its affiliates are or may become similarly interested in the
Company as stockholders or otherwise.
|
7.
|
Responsibility of Dual
Directors, Officers and/or
Employees.
|
If any
person who is a manager, partner, member, officer or employee of the Adviser is
or becomes a director, officer and/or employee of the Company and acts as such
in any business of the Company, then such manager, partner, member, officer
and/or employee of the Adviser shall be deemed to be acting in such capacity
solely for the Company, and not as a manager, partner, member, officer or
employee of the Adviser or under the control or direction of the Adviser, even
if paid by the Adviser.
|
8.
|
Indemnification.
|
(a) Indemnification. The
Adviser (and its officers, managers, partners, members (and their members,
including the owners of their members), agents, employees, controlling persons
and any other person or entity affiliated with the Adviser) shall not be liable
to the Company for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Adviser in
connection with the performance of any of its duties or obligations under this
Agreement or otherwise as an investment advisor of the Company (except to the
extent specified in Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act concerning
loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty (as the same is finally
determined by judicial proceedings) with respect to the receipt of compensation
for services, and the Company shall indemnify, defend and protect the Adviser
(and its officers, managers, partners, members (and their members, including the
owners of their members), agents, employees, controlling persons and any other
person or entity affiliated with the Adviser, each of whom shall be deemed a
third party beneficiary hereof) (collectively, the “Indemnified
Parties”) and hold them harmless from and against all damages,
liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and
amounts reasonably paid in settlement) incurred by the Indemnified Parties in or
by reason of any pending, threatened or completed action, suit, investigation or
other proceeding (including an action or suit by or in the right of the Company
or its security holders) arising out of or otherwise based upon the performance
of any of the Adviser’s duties or obligations under this Agreement or otherwise
as an investment adviser of the Company, to the extent such damages,
liabilities, costs and expenses are not fully reimbursed by insurance, and to
the extent that such indemnification would not be inconsistent with the laws of
the State of Maryland, the charter of the Company or the provisions of Section
II.G of the Omnibus Guidelines published by the North American Securities
Administrators Association on March 29, 1992, as it may be amended from
time to time.
9
The
following provisions in this Section 8 shall apply for only so long as the
shares of the Company are not listed on a national securities
exchange.
(b) Limitations on
Indemnification. Notwithstanding Section 8(a) to the contrary, the
Company shall not provide for indemnification of the Indemnified Parties for any
liability or loss suffered by the Indemnified Parties, nor shall the Company
provide that any of the Indemnified Parties be held harmless for any loss or
liability suffered by the Company, unless all of the following conditions are
met:
|
(i)
|
the
Indemnified Party has determined, in good faith, that the course of
conduct which caused the loss or liability was in the best interests of
the Company;
|
|
(ii)
|
the
Indemnified Party was acting on behalf of or performing services for the
Company;
|
|
(iii)
|
such
liability or loss was not the result of negligence or misconduct by the
Indemnified Party; and
|
|
(iv)
|
such
indemnification or agreement to hold harmless is recoverable only out of
the Company’s net assets and not from
stockholders.
|
Furthermore,
the Indemnified Party shall not be indemnified for any losses, liabilities or
expenses arising from or out of an alleged violation of federal or state
securities laws unless one or more of the following conditions are
met:
|
(v)
|
there
has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving
alleged securities law violations as to the particular
indemnitee;
|
|
(vi)
|
such
claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of
competent jurisdiction as to the particular indemnitee;
or
|
|
(vii)
|
a
court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the claims
against a particular indemnitee and finds that indemnification of the
settlement and related costs should be made, and the court of law
considering the request for indemnification has been advised of the
position of the SEC and the published position of any state securities
regulatory authority in which securities of the Company were offered or
sold as to indemnification for violations of securities
laws.
|
(c) Advancement of Funds.
The Company shall be permitted to advance funds to the Indemnified Party for
legal expenses and other costs incurred as a result of any legal action for
which indemnification is being sought only if all of the following conditions
are met:
|
(i)
|
The
legal action relates to acts or omissions with respect to the performance
of duties or services on behalf of the
Company;
|
|
(ii)
|
The
legal action is initiated by a third party who is not a Company
stockholder, or the legal action is initiated by a Company stockholder and
a court of competent jurisdiction specifically approves such advancement;
and
|
|
(iii)
|
The
Indemnified Party undertakes to repay the advanced funds to the Company,
together with the applicable legal rate of interest thereon, in cases in
which the Indemnified Party is not found to be entitled to
indemnification.
|
10
|
9.
|
Effectiveness,
Duration and Termination of
Agreement.
|
(a) Term and
Effectiveness. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date that
the Company meets the minimum offering requirement, as such term is defined in
the prospectus contained in the Company’s registration statement on Form N-2 as
declared effective by the SEC. This Agreement shall remain in effect for two
years, and thereafter shall continue automatically for successive annual
periods, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually by (i) the vote of the Board, or by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Company and (ii) the vote of a
majority of the Company’s directors who are not parties to this Agreement or
“interested persons” (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the
Investment Company Act) of any such party, in accordance with the requirements
of the Investment Company Act.
(b) Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty,
(a) by the Company upon 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser,
(i) upon the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Company, or (ii) by the vote of the Company’s independent directors, or
(b) by the Adviser upon 120 days’ written notice to the Company. This
Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as
such term is defined in Section 2(a)(4) for purposes of Section 15(a)(4) of
the Investment Company Act). The provisions of Section 8 of this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect, and the Adviser shall remain entitled to
the benefits thereof, notwithstanding any termination of this
Agreement.
(c) Payments to and Duties of
Adviser Upon Termination.
|
(i)
|
After
the termination of this Agreement, the Adviser shall not be entitled to
compensation for further services provided hereunder except that it shall
be entitled to receive from the Company within 30 days after the effective
date of such termination all unpaid reimbursements and all earned but
unpaid fees payable to the Adviser prior to termination of this
Agreement.
|
|
(ii)
|
The
Investment Adviser shall promptly upon
termination:
|
|
(A)
|
Deliver
to the Board a full accounting, including a statement showing all payments
collected by it and a statement of all money held by it, covering the
period following the date of the last accounting furnished to the
Board;
|
|
(B)
|
Deliver
to the Board all assets and documents of the Company then in custody of
the Investment Adviser; and
|
|
(C)
|
Cooperate
with the Company to provide an orderly management
transition.
|
The
following provisions in this Section 9 shall apply for only so long as the
shares of the Company are not listed on a national securities
exchange.
(d) Other Matters.
Without the approval of holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on
the matter, the Adviser shall not: (i) amend the investment advisory
agreement except for amendments that do not adversely affect the interests of
the stockholders; (ii) voluntarily withdraw as the Adviser unless such
withdrawal would not affect the tax status of the Company and would not
materially adversely affect the stockholders; (iii) appoint a new Adviser;
(iv) sell all or substantially all of the Company’s assets other than in
the ordinary course of the Company’s business; or (v) cause the merger or
other reorganization of the Company. In the event that the Adviser should
withdraw pursuant to (ii) above, the withdrawing Adviser shall pay all
expenses incurred as a result of its withdrawal. The Company may terminate the
Adviser’s interest in the Company’s revenues, expenses, income, losses,
distributions and capital by payment of an amount equal to the then present fair
market value of the terminated Adviser’s interest, determined by agreement of
the terminated Adviser and the Company. If the Company and the Adviser cannot
agree upon such amount, then such amount will be determined in accordance with
the then current rules of the American Arbitration Association. The expenses of
such arbitration shall be borne equally by the terminated Adviser and the
Company. The method of payment to the terminated Adviser must be fair and must
protect the solvency and liquidity of the Company.
11
|
10.
|
Conflicts of Interests
and Prohibited Activities.
|
The
following provisions in this Section 10 shall apply for only so long as the
shares of the Company are not listed on a national securities
exchange.
(a) No Exclusive
Agreement. The Adviser is not hereby granted or entitled to an exclusive
right to sell or exclusive employment to sell assets for the
Company.
(b) Rebates, Kickbacks and
Reciprocal Arrangements.
|
(i)
|
The
Adviser agrees that it shall not (A) receive or accept any rebate,
give-up or similar arrangement that is prohibited under applicable federal
or state securities laws, (B) participate in any reciprocal business
arrangement that would circumvent provisions of applicable federal or
state securities laws governing conflicts of interest or investment
restrictions, or (C) enter into any agreement, arrangement or
understanding that would circumvent the restrictions against dealing with
affiliates or promoters under applicable federal or state securities
laws.
|
|
(ii)
|
The
Adviser agrees that it shall not directly or indirectly pay or award any
fees or commissions or other compensation to any person or entity engaged
to sell the Company’s stock or give investment advice to a potential
stockholder; provided, however, that this subsection shall not prohibit
the payment of a registered broker-dealer or other properly licensed agent
from sales commissions for selling or distributing the Company’s common
stock.
|
(c) Commingling. The
Adviser covenants that it shall not permit or cause to be permitted the
Company’s funds from being commingled with the funds of any other entity.
Nothing in this Subsection 10(c) shall prohibit the Adviser from establishing a
master fiduciary account pursuant to which separate sub-trust accounts are
established for the benefit of affiliated programs, provided that the Company’s
funds are protected from the claims of other programs and creditors of such
programs.
|
11.
|
Notices.
|
Any
notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing, addressed and delivered
or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party at its principal
office.
|
12.
|
Amendments.
|
This
Agreement may be amended by mutual consent.
12
|
13.
|
Entire Agreement;
Governing Law.
|
This
Agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior
agreements, understandings and arrangements with respect to the subject matter
hereof. Notwithstanding the place where this Agreement may be executed by any of
the parties hereto, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of North Carolina. For so long as the Company is regulated as
a BDC under the Investment Company Act, this Agreement shall also be construed
in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. In
such case, to the extent the applicable laws of the State of North Carolina, or
any of the provisions herein, conflict with the provisions of the Investment
Company Act, the latter shall control.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed on the date above written.
By:
|
|
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Chief Executive
Officer
|
CHANTICLEER
ADVISORS, LLC
|
||
By:
|
|
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Chief Executive
Officer
|
13
Appendix
A
NOTE:
All percentages herein refer to adjusted capital.
Example
1: Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income for Each Calendar Quarter
Scenario
1
Assumptions
Investment
income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 1.25%
Preferred
return(1) =
2.00%
Base
management fee(2) =
0.40%
Other
expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) =
0.20%
Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income
Investment
income – (base management fee + other expenses) =
0.65%
Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed the preferred return rate, therefore
there is no Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income payable.
Scenario
2
Assumptions
Investment
income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 2.90%
Preferred
return(1) =
2.00%
Base
management fee(2) =
0.40%
Other
expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) =
0.20%
Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income
Investment
income –(base management fee + other expenses) =
2.30%
Subordinated
Incentive fee on Income = 100% × Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment
Income (subject to “catch-up”)(4)
= 100% x
(2.30% – 2.00%)
=
0.30%
Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income exceeds the preferred return rate, but does not fully
satisfy the “catch-up” provision, therefore the Subordinated Incentive Fee on
Income is 0.20%.
14
Scenario
3
Assumptions
Investment
income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 3.50%
Preferred
return(1) =
2.00%
Base
management fee(2) =
0.40%
Other
expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) =
0.20%
Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income
Investment
income – (base management fee + other expenses) =
2.90%
Catch up
= 100% × Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (subject to
“catch-up”)(4)
Subordinated
Incentive Fee on Income =
100% × “catch-up” + (20% × (Pre-Incentive Fee Net
Investment Income – 2.5%))
Catch
up = 2.50% – 2.00%
= 0.50%
Subordinated
Incentive Fee on Income = (100% ×
0.50%) + (20.00% × (2.90% –2.50%))
=
0.50% + (20.00% × 0.40%)
=
0.50% + 0.08%
= 0.58%
Pre-Incentive
Fee Net Investment Income exceeds the preferred return and fully satisfies the
“catch-up” provision, therefore the Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income is
0.58%.
(1) Represents
8.00% annualized preferred return.
(2) Represents
2.00% annualized base management fee on average gross assets. Examples assume
assets are equal to adjusted capital.
(3) Excludes
organizational and offering expenses.
(4) The
“catch-up” provision is intended to provide the Adviser with an incentive fee of
20.00% on all Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income when the Company’s net
investment income exceeds 2.50% in any calendar quarter.
Example
2: Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations (*):
15
Scenario
1:
Assumptions
Year
1: $20 million investment made in Company A (“Investment A”), and
$30 million investment made in Company B (“Investment B”)
Year
2: Investment A sold for $50 million and fair market value (“FMV”) of
Investment B determined to be $32 million
Year
3: FMV of Investment B determined to be $25 million
Year
4: Investment B sold for $31 million
The
Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations would be:
Year
1: None
Year
2: Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations of $6 million
($30 million realized capital gains on sale of Investment A multiplied by
20.00%)
Year
3: None ¾ $5 million (20.00% multiplied by ($30 million cumulative
capital gains less $5 million cumulative capital depreciation)) less $6
million (previous capital gains fee paid in Year 2)
Year
4: Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations of $200,000 ¾ $6.2
million ($31 million cumulative realized capital gains multiplied by
20.00%) less $6 million (Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations
taken in Year 2)
Scenario
2
Assumptions
Year
1: $20 million investment made in Company A (“Investment A”),
$30 million investment made in Company B (“Investment B”) and $25 million
investment made in Company C (“Investment C”)
Year
2: Investment A sold for $50 million, FMV of Investment B determined to be
$25 million and FMV of Investment C determined to be
$25 million
Year
3: FMV of Investment B determined to be $27 million and Investment C
sold for $30 million
Year
4: FMV of Investment B determined to be $35 million
Year
5: Investment B sold for $20 million
The
capital gains incentive fee, if any, would be:
Year
1: None
16
Year
2: $5 million Incentive Fee on Capital Gains during operations
¾ 20.00% multiplied by $25 million ($30 million realized capital
gains on Investment A less unrealized capital depreciation on Investment
B)
Year
3: $1.4 million Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations ¾
$6.4 million (20.00% multiplied by $32 million ($35 million
cumulative realized capital gains less $3 million unrealized capital
depreciation)) less $5 million Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During
Operations received in Year 2
Year
4: None
Year
5: None ¾ $5 million (20.00% multiplied by $25 million
(cumulative realized capital gains of $35 million less realized capital
losses of $10 million)) less $6.4 million cumulative Incentive Fee on
Capital Gains During Operations paid in Year 2 and Year 3
Example
3: Subordinated Liquidation Incentive Fee
Scenario
1
Assumptions
Year
1: Gross offering proceeds total $85 million. $20 million
investment made in Company A (“Investment A”), $30 million investment made
in Company B (“Investment B”) and $25 million investment made in Company C
(“Investment C”)
Year
2: Investment A sold for $25 million and all proceeds, net of any capital
gains incentive fees payable, are returned to shareholders. FMV of
Investment B determined to be $30 million and FMV of Investment C
determined to be $27 million.
Year
3: FMV of Investment B determined to be $31 million. FMV of
Investment C Determined to be $20 million.
Year
4: FMV of Investment B determined to be $35 million. FMV of
Investment C determined to be $25 million.
Year
5: Investments B and C sold in an orderly liquidation for total proceeds of
$55 million. All proceeds, net of any capital gains incentive fees
payable, are returned to shareholders.
The
capital gains incentive fee, if any, would be:
Year
1: None
Year
2: $1 million Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations
¾ 20.00% multiplied by a realized gain $5 million (no unrealized
depreciation or realized losses occurred). Adjusted capital now equals $61
million ($85 million gross proceeds less $24 million returned to shareholders
from the sale of portfolio investments).
Year
3: None
Year
4: None
17
Year
5: No Subordinated Liquidation Incentive Fee Due ¾ Liquidation proceeds of
$55 million are less than Adjusted Capital immediately prior to liquidation ($61
million).
Scenario
2
Assumptions
Year
1: Gross offering proceeds total $85 million. $20 million
investment made in Company A (“Investment A”), $30 million investment made
in Company B (“Investment B”) and $25 million investment made in Company C
(“Investment C”).
Year
2: Investment A sold for $25 million and all proceeds, net of any capital
gains incentive fees payable, are returned to shareholders. FMV of
Investment B determined to be $30 million and FMV of Investment C
determined to be $27 million.
Year
3: FMV of Investment B determined to be $31 million. FMV of
Investment C Determined to be $20 million.
Year
4: FMV of Investment B determined to be $35 million. FMV of
Investment C determined to be $25 million.
Year
5: Investments B and C sold in an orderly liquidation for total proceeds of
$80 million. All proceeds, net of any capital gains incentive fees
payable, are returned to shareholders.
The
capital gains incentive fee, if any, would be:
Year
1: None
Year
2: $1 million Incentive Fee on Capital Gains During Operations
¾ 20.00% multiplied by a realized gain $5 million (no unrealized
depreciation or realized losses occurred). Adjusted Capital now equals
$61million ($85 million gross proceeds less $24 million returned to shareholders
from the sale of portfolio investments).
Year
3: None
Year
4: None
Year
5: $3.8 million Subordinated Liquidation Incentive Fee ¾ 20%
multiplied by liquidation proceeds ($80 million) in excess of Adjusted Capital
immediately prior to liquidation ($61 million), or $19 million.
* The
returns shown are for illustrative purposes only. There is no guarantee that
positive returns will be realized and actual returns may vary from those shown
in this example.
18