INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN FRANKLIN SQUARE INVESTMENT CORPORATION AND FB FRANKLIN ADVISOR, LLC
Exhibit (g)
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
FRANKLIN SQUARE INVESTMENT CORPORATION
AND
XX XXXXXXXX ADVISOR, LLC
This Agreement (the “Agreement”) made this 12th day of February, 2008, by and between FRANKLIN SQUARE INVESTMENT CORPORATION, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and XX XXXXXXXX ADVISOR, LLC, a Delaware 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 a newly 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, |
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(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 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. |
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| (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. |
(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.
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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 2810(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.
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 $125,000 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 $8,333,333.33 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 $125,000; or |
| (ii) | if the Offering Proceeds exceed $8,333,333.33, 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. |
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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). |
(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 2.0% of the Company’s average gross assets. The Base Management Fee shall be
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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 pro rated.
(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). |
| • | 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. |
| • | 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. |
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; |
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| (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. |
| (ii) | 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. |
| (iii) | 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.
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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.
(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; |
| (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. |
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| (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.
(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.
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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 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 Company. The remaining proceeds may be used to pay Front End Fees. |
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.
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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.
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 |
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| (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:
| (i) | there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged securities law violations as to the particular indemnitee; |
| (ii) | such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as to the particular indemnitee; 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 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. |
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.
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(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 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.
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 |
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| 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.
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 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 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.
| FRANKLIN SQUARE INVESTMENT CORPORATION | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| XX XXXXXXXX ADVISOR, LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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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) = 0.50%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) = 0.20%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income – (base management fee + other expenses) = 0.55%
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) = 0.50%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) = 0.20%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income –(base management fee + other expenses) = 2.20%
Subordinated Incentive fee on Income = 100% × Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (subject to “catch-up”)(4)
= 100% x (2.20% – 2.00%)
= 0.20%
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%.
Scenario 3
Assumptions
Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 3.50%
Preferred return(1) = 2.00%
Base management fee(2) = 0.50%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) = 0.20%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income – (base management fee + other expenses) = 2.80%
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%))
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Catch up = 2.50% – 2.00%
= 0.50%
Subordinated Incentive Fee on Income = (100% × 0.50%) + (20.00% × (2.80% –2.50%))
= 0.50% + (20.00% × 0.30%)
= 0.50% + 0.06%
= 0.56%
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 0.56%.
| (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(*):
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)
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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
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.
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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
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. |
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