INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT BETWEEN NEXPOINT CAPITAL, INC. AND NEXPOINT ADVISORS, L.P.
BETWEEN
AND
NEXPOINT ADVISORS, L.P.
This Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made this [•] day of [•] 2014, by and between NEXPOINT CAPITAL, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and NEXPOINT ADVISORS, L.P., a Delaware partnership (the “Adviser”).
WHEREAS, the Corporation is a newly organized, closed-end management investment company that intends to elect to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser is engaged in rendering investment advisory services and is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”); and
WHEREAS, the Corporation desires to retain the Adviser to provide investment advisory services to the Corporation, and the Adviser is willing to provide or procure such services, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
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 Corporation hereby appoints the Adviser to act as the investment adviser to the Corporation and to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Corporation, subject to the supervision of the board of directors of the Corporation (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 Corporation’s then-effective Registration Statement on Form N-2 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as amended from time to time (the “Registration Statement”), the Corporation’s prospectus that forms a part of the Registration Statement, as amended and supplemented (the “Prospectus”), and/or the Corporation’s periodic reports filed with the SEC from time to time; and |
| (ii) | during the term of this Agreement in accordance with all other applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and bylaws (the “Bylaws”), in each case as may be 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:
| (i) | determine the composition and allocation of the portfolio of the Corporation, 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 Corporation; |
| (iii) | close, monitor and administer the Corporation’s investments, including the exercise of any voting or consent rights; |
| (iv) | determine the securities and other assets that the Corporation shall purchase, retain, or sell; |
| (v) | perform due diligence on prospective portfolio companies; and |
| (vi) | provide the Corporation with such other investment advisory, research and related services as the Corporation may, from time to time, reasonably request or 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 Corporation hereby delegates to the Adviser, and the Adviser hereby accepts, the power and authority on behalf of the Corporation to effectuate its investment decisions for the Corporation, including the execution and delivery of all documents relating to the Corporation’s investments and the placing of orders for other purchase or sale transactions on behalf of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to acquire debt financing, the Adviser shall arrange for such financing on the Corporation’s behalf, subject to the oversight and approval of the Board. If it is necessary or appropriate for the Adviser to make investments on behalf of the Corporation through one or more special purpose vehicles, the Adviser shall have authority to create or arrange for the creation of such special purpose vehicles and to make such investments through such special purpose vehicles in accordance with the Investment Company Act.
(d) 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.
(e) 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 Corporation’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 Corporation, subject to the oversight of the Adviser and the Corporation.
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| (i) | The Adviser and not the Corporation 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 the Board and the Corporation’s stockholder 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. |
(f) 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 Corporation in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Corporation.
(g) 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 Corporation and shall specifically maintain all books and records with respect to the Corporation’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 Corporation are the property of the Corporation and shall surrender promptly to the Corporation any such records upon the Corporation’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 common stock of the Corporation (“Common Stock”) are not listed on a national securities exchange.
(h) Administrator. The Adviser shall, upon 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 the Corporation’s stockholders pursuant to this Agreement, the Registration Statement and applicable federal and state law.
(i) 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 Corporation, 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
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of the Corporation. The Adviser shall not, by entry into an agreement with any stockholder of the Corporation or otherwise, contract away the fiduciary obligation owed to the Corporation and the Corporation’s stockholders under common law.
2. The Corporation’s Responsibilities and Expenses Payable by the Corporation.
(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 Corporation.
(b) Costs. Subject to the limitations on reimbursement of the Adviser as set forth in Section 2(c) below, the Corporation, either directly or through reimbursement to the Adviser, shall bear all other costs and expenses of its operations and transactions, including (without limitation): (a) expenses deemed to be “organization and offering expenses” of the Corporation 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”); (b) calculating the Corporation’s net asset value (including the cost and expenses of any independent valuation firm); (c) interest payable on debt, if any, incurred to finance the Corporation’s investments; (d) fees and expenses, including travel expenses, incurred by the Adviser or payable to third parties in performing due diligence on prospective portfolio companies, monitoring the Corporation’s investments and, if necessary, enforcing the Corporation’s rights; (e) amounts payable to third parties relating to, or associated with, evaluating, making and disposing of investments; (f) brokerage fees and commissions; (g) federal and state registration fees; (h) exchange listing fees; (i) federal, state and local taxes; (j) the base management fee and any incentive fee; (k) distributions on the Corporation’s common stock; (l) administration fees payable to the Adviser under the administration agreement dated as of [•], 2014 (the “Administration Agreement”); (m) the actual costs incurred by the Adviser as our administrator in providing managerial assistance to those portfolio companies that request it; (n) transfer agent and custody fees and expenses; (o) independent director fees and expenses; (p) the costs of any reports, proxy statements or other notices to the Corporation’s stockholders, including printing costs; (q) costs of holding stockholder meetings; (r) litigation, indemnification and other non-recurring or extraordinary expenses; (s) fees and expenses associated with marketing efforts, including deal sourcing fees and marketing to financial sponsors; (t) dues, fees and charges of any trade association of which the Corporation is a member; (u) direct costs and expenses of administration and operation, including audit and legal costs; (v) the Corporation’s fidelity bond; (w) directors and officers/errors and omissions liability insurance, and any other insurance premiums; (x) costs associated with the Corporation’s reporting and compliance obligations under the Investment Company Act and applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws; and (y) all other expenses reasonably incurred by the Corporation or the Adviser in connection with administering the Corporation’s business.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not be liable for Organization and Offering Expenses to the extent that Organization and Offering Expenses, together with all prior Organization and Offering Expenses, exceed 1.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds from the offering of the Corporation’s securities (the “Reimbursable O&O Expenses”).
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The following provisions in this Section 2(c) shall apply for only so long as shares of Common Stock 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 Corporation shall reimburse the Adviser for all expenses of the Corporation incurred by the Adviser as well as the actual cost of goods and services used for or by the Corporation 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 Corporation; provided, however, the reimbursement shall be an amount equal to the lower of the Adviser’s actual cost or the amount the Corporation 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 Corporation on the basis of assets, revenues, time allocations and/or other reasonable metrics. No reimbursement shall be permitted for services for which the Adviser or an affiliate 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). |
(d) Periodic Reimbursement. Expenses incurred by the Adviser on behalf of the Corporation 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 Corporation and the calculation of the reimbursement and shall deliver such statement to the Corporation prior to full reimbursement.
3. Compensation of the Adviser. The Corporation 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.
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(a) Base Management Fee. The Base Management Fee shall be calculated at an annual rate of 2.0% of the Corporation’s average gross assets, including cash and cash equivalents and assets purchased with borrowed funds. The Base Management Fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears, and shall be calculated based on the average value of the Corporation’s gross assets at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters. The Base Management Fee for any partial quarter shall be appropriately prorated.
(b) Incentive Fee. The Incentive Fee shall consist of two 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 Corporation’s “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For this purpose, “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income” means interest income, distribution 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 Corporation receives from portfolio companies) accrued during the calendar quarter, minus the Corporation’s operating expenses for the quarter (including the Base Management Fee, expenses reimbursed to the Adviser 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 Corporation 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. |
| Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Corporation’s net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, will be compared to a “hurdle rate” of 1.875% per quarter (7.5% annualized). The Corporation will pay the Adviser an Incentive Fee with respect to the Corporation’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income in each calendar quarter as follows; |
| (A) | No Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income shall be payable to the Adviser in any calendar quarter in which the Corporation’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed 1.875% (7.5% annualized) (the “Hurdle Rate”); |
| (B) | 100% of the Corporation’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds the Hurdle Rate but is less than or equal to 2.34375% in any calendar quarter (9.375% annualized) shall be payable to the Adviser. This portion of the Corporation’s Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income that exceeds the Hurdle Rate but is less than or equal to 2.34375% is referred to as the “catch up” and is intended to provide the Adviser with an incentive |
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| fee of 20.0% on all of the Corporation’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income when the Corporation’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income reaches 2.34375% in any calendar quarter (9.375% annualized); and |
| (C) | 20.0% of the amount of the Corporation’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds 2.34375% in any calendar quarter (9.375% annualized) shall be payable to the Adviser once the Preferred Return and catch-up have been achieved (20.0% of the Corporation’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income thereafter shall be allocated to the Adviser). |
The portion of such Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income that is attributable to deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments with payment-in-kind interest and zero coupon securities) shall be paid to the Adviser, without interest, only if and to the extent the Corporation actually receives such interest in cash, and any accrual thereof shall 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.
| (ii) | The second part of the incentive fee, referred to as the “Incentive Fee on Capital Gains,” shall be an incentive fee on capital gains and shall be determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of this Agreement). This fee shall equal 20.0% of the Corporation’s incentive fee capital gains, which shall equal the Corporation’s realized capital gains on a cumulative basis from the Company’s formation, calculated as of the end of the applicable period, 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. |
These calculations shall be appropriately pro-rated for any period of less than three months and adjusted for any share issuances or repurchases during the current quarter.
4. Covenants of the Adviser.
(a) Adviser Status. The Adviser covenants that it will be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act as of the date the Corporation commences investment operations 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 shares of Common Stock are not listed on a national securities exchange.
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(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 Corporation (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 Corporation’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the Corporation under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
| (ii) | Annual Report. Within 120 days after the end of the Corporation’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 principles and accompanied by an auditor’s report containing an opinion of an independent certified public accountant; |
| (B) | A report of the activities of the Corporation during the period covered by the report; |
| (C) | Where forecasts have been provided to the Corporation’s stockholders, 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 Corporation 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 the Corporation’s 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 allocations 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. |
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(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 Corporation to provide for adequate reserves for normal replacements and contingencies (but not for payment of fees payable to the Adviser hereunder) by causing the Corporation to retain a reasonable percentage of proceeds from offerings and revenues.
(e) Recommendations Regarding Reviews. From time to time and not less than quarterly, the Adviser must review the Corporation’s accounts to determine whether cash distributions are appropriate. The Corporation may, subject to authorization by the Board, distribute pro rata to the stockholders funds received by the Corporation which the Adviser deems unnecessary to retain in the Corporation.
(f) Temporary Investments. The Adviser shall, in its sole discretion, temporarily place proceeds from offerings by the Corporation 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 Corporation and the nature, timing and implementation of any changes thereto pursuant to Section 1(b); provided however, that the 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 Adviser shall cause any proceeds of the offering of the Corporation’s securities not committed for investment within the later of two years from the initial 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation’s portfolio, and constitutes the best net results for the Corporation.
The following provisions in this Section 5 shall apply for only so long as shares of Common Stock are not listed on a national securities exchange.
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(b) Limitations. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary:
| (i) | All fees and expenses paid by any party for any services rendered to organize the Corporation and to acquire assets for the Corporation (“Front End Fees”) shall be reasonable and shall not exceed 15% 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 15% limitation. |
| (ii) | The Adviser shall commit at least eighty-two percent (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 Corporation. The remaining proceeds may be used to pay Front End Fees. |
6. Other Activities of the Adviser.
The services of the Adviser to the Corporation 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 Corporation, so long as its services to the Corporation 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 Corporation’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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation and acts as such in any business of the Corporation, then such manager, partner, member, officer and/or employee of the Adviser shall be deemed to be acting in such capacity solely for the Corporation, 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.
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8. Indemnification; Limitation of Liability.
(a) Indemnification. The Adviser (and its officers, directors, 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 Corporation for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Adviser or such other person in connection with the performance of any of its duties or obligations under this Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of the Corporation (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 Corporation shall indemnify, defend and protect the Adviser (and its officers, directors, 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 Corporation 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 Corporation, 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 Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation or, for only as long as the shares of Common Stock are not listed on a national securities exchange, 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. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence of this Section 8 to the contrary, nothing contained herein shall protect or be deemed to protect the Indemnified Parties against or entitle or be deemed to entitle the Indemnified Parties to indemnification in respect of any liability to the Corporation or its stockholders to which the Indemnified Parties would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of the Adviser’s duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of the Adviser’s duties and obligations under this Agreement (to the extent applicable, as the same shall be determined in accordance with the Investment Company Act and any interpretations or guidance by the SEC or its staff thereunder). As long as the shares of Common Stock are not listed on a national securities exchange, nothing in the preceding sentence shall be construed to limit the scope or applicability of Sections 8(b) and 8(c).
The following provisions in this Section 8 shall apply for only so long as shares of Common Stock are not listed on a national securities exchange.
(b) Limitations on Indemnification. Notwithstanding Section 8(a) to the contrary, the Corporation shall not provide for indemnification of the Indemnified Parties for any liability or loss suffered by the Indemnified Parties, nor shall the Corporation provide that any of the Indemnified Parties be held harmless for any loss or liability suffered by the Corporation, 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 Corporation; |
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| (ii) | the Indemnified Party was acting on behalf of or performing services for the Corporation; |
| (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 Corporation’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:
| (i) | there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged material securities law violations; |
| (ii) | such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction; or |
| (iii) | 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 Corporation were offered or sold as to indemnification for violations of securities laws. |
(c) Advancement of Funds. The Corporation 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 and will do so if:
| (i) | the proceeding relates to acts or omissions with respect to the performance of duties or services on behalf of the Corporation; |
| (ii) | the Indemnified Party provides the Corporation with written affirmation of his or her good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Corporation has been met; |
| (iii) | the legal proceeding was initiated by a third party who is not a stockholder or, if by a stockholder of the Corporation acting in his or her capacity as such, a court of competent jurisdiction approves such advancement; and |
| (iv) | the Indemnified Party provides the Corporation with a written agreement to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the Corporation, together with the applicable legal rate of interest thereon, in cases in which such Indemnified Party is found not to be entitled to indemnification. |
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9. Effectiveness, Duration and Termination of Agreement.
(a) Term and Effectiveness. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date that the Corporation meets the minimum offering requirement, as such term is defined in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement. This Agreement shall remain in effect for one year from the date such minimum offering requirement is satisfied, 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 Corporation and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Corporation’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 (“Independent Directors”), 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 Corporation upon 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser, (i) upon the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Corporation, or (ii) by the vote of the Corporation’s Independent Directors, or (b) by the Adviser upon 60 days’ written notice to the Corporation. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as such term is defined for purposes of Section 15(a)(4) of the Investment Company Act). Further, notwithstanding the termination or expiration of this Agreement as aforesaid, the Adviser shall be entitled to any amounts owed to it under Section 3 through the date of termination or expiration, 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.
(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 Corporation 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 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 Corporation then in custody of the Adviser; and |
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| (C) | Cooperate with the Corporation to provide an orderly management transition. |
The following provisions in this Section 9 shall apply for only so long as shares of Common Stock are not listed on a national securities exchange.
(d) Other Matters. Without the approval of holders of a majority of the shares of Common Stock entitled to vote on the matter, the Adviser shall not: (i) amend this 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 Corporation and would not materially adversely affect the stockholders; (iii) appoint a new Adviser; (iv) sell all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets other than in the ordinary course of the Corporation’s business; or (v) cause the merger or other reorganization of the Corporation. 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 Corporation may terminate the Adviser’s interest in the Corporation’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 Corporation. If the Corporation 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 Corporation. The method of payment to the terminated Adviser must be fair and must protect the solvency and liquidity of the Corporation.
10. Conflicts of Interests and Prohibited Activities.
The following provisions in this Section 10 shall apply for only so long as shares of Common Stock 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 Corporation.
(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 shares of Common Stock or give investment advice to a potential stockholder; provided, however, that this subsection shall not |
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| prohibit the payment to a registered broker-dealer or other properly licensed agent of sales commissions for selling or distributing shares of Common Stock. |
(c) Commingling. The Adviser covenants that it shall not permit or cause to be permitted the Corporation’s funds to be 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 Corporation’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 in writing by mutual consent of the parties hereto, subject to the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Certificate of Incorporation.
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 New York. For so long as the Corporation is regulated as a BDC under the Investment Company Act and the Adviser is regulated as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, this Agreement shall also be construed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act, respectively, and any other then-current regulatory interpretations thereunder. To the extent the applicable laws of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, the latter shall control.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed on the date above written.
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By: Name: [•] Title: [•] |
| NexPoint Advisors, L.P.
By: Name: [•] Title: [•] |
