UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (Amendment
No. )
Filed by the Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
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o Preliminary
Proxy Statement |
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o Confidential,
for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
þ Definitive Proxy
Statement |
o Definitive
Additional Materials |
o Soliciting
Material under §240 14a-12 |
GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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No fee required |
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act
Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11 |
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(1) |
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(2) |
Appropriate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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(3) |
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on
which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined): |
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(4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for
which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the
previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or
Schedule and the date of its filing. |
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(1) |
Amount Previously Paid: |
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(2) |
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 200, McLean, Virginia
22102
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 2, 2005
To The Stockholders Of Gladstone Capital Corporation:
Notice Is Hereby Given that a Special Meeting of Stockholders of
Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the
Company), will be held on Friday, December 2,
2005 at 11:00 a.m. local time at the Courtyard by Marriott
Tysons Corner Hotel, 1960-A Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22102
for the following purposes:
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(1) To approve an amended and restated investment advisory
agreement between the Company and Gladstone Management
Corporation. |
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(2) To transact such other business as may properly come
before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. |
The foregoing items of business are more fully described in the
Proxy Statement accompanying this Notice.
The board of directors has fixed the close of business on
October 14, 2005 as the record date for the determination
of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at this
Special Meeting and at any adjournment or postponement thereof.
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By Order of the Board of Directors |
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/s/ TERRY BRUBAKER |
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Terry Brubaker |
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Secretary |
McLean, Virginia
October 21, 2005
All stockholders are cordially invited to attend the meeting
in person. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting,
please complete, date, sign and return the enclosed proxy as
promptly as possible in order to ensure your representation at
the meeting. A return envelope (which is postage prepaid if
mailed in the United States) is enclosed for that purpose. Even
if you have given your proxy, you may still vote in person if
you attend the meeting. Please note, however, that if your
shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee and
you wish to vote at the meeting, you must obtain from the record
holder a proxy issued in your name.
GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 200, McLean, Virginia
22102
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
December 2, 2005
INFORMATION CONCERNING SOLICITATION AND VOTING
General
The enclosed proxy is solicited on behalf of the board of
directors of Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland
corporation (the Company or the Fund),
for use at the Special Meeting of Stockholders to be held on
December 2, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. local time (the
Special Meeting), or at any adjournment or
postponement thereof, for the purposes set forth herein and in
the accompanying Notice of Special Meeting. The Special Meeting
will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Tysons Corner Hotel,
1960-A Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22102. The Company intends
to mail this proxy statement and accompanying proxy card on or
about October 21, 2005 to all stockholders entitled to vote
at the Special Meeting.
Solicitation
The Company and Gladstone Management Corporation
(Gladstone Management or the Adviser)
will share equally the cost of solicitation of proxies,
including preparation, assembly, printing and mailing of this
proxy statement, the proxy card and any additional information
furnished to stockholders. Copies of solicitation materials will
be furnished to banks, brokerage houses, fiduciaries and
custodians holding in their names shares of the Companys
common stock beneficially owned by others to forward to such
beneficial owners. The Company or the Adviser may reimburse
persons representing beneficial owners of the Companys
common stock for their costs of forwarding solicitation
materials to such beneficial owners. Original solicitation of
proxies by mail may be supplemented by telephone, telegram or
personal solicitation by directors, officers or other regular
employees of the Company and the Adviser. No additional
compensation will be paid to directors, officers or other
regular employees for such services. The Company has engaged
Georgeson Shareholder Communications Company
(Georgeson) to solicit proxies for the Special
Meeting. Georgeson will be paid a fee of approximately $20,000
for its basic solicitation services, which includes review of
proxy materials, dissemination of broker search cards,
distribution of proxy materials, solicitation of ADP, brokers,
banks and institutional holders, and delivery of executed
proxies. The term of the agreement with Georgeson will last for
the period of the solicitation, and the agreement provides that
the Company indemnify and hold harmless Georgeson against any
third party claims, except in the case of Georgesons gross
negligence or intentional misconduct.
Voting Rights and Outstanding Shares
Only holders of record of the Companys common stock at the
close of business on October 14, 2005 will be entitled to
notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting. At the close of
business on October 14, 2005 the Company had outstanding
and entitled to vote 11,303,510 shares of common stock.
Each holder of record of the Companys common stock on such
date will be entitled to one vote for each share held on all
matters to be voted upon at the Special Meeting.
All votes will be tabulated by the inspector of election
appointed for the meeting, who will separately tabulate
affirmative and negative votes, abstentions and broker
non-votes. Abstentions and broker non-
votes are counted towards a quorum but are not considered votes
in favor of Proposal 1, nor will they be
counted for any purpose in determining whether any other matter
properly brought before the meeting is approved. Therefore, with
respect to the approval of the amended and restated investment
advisory agreement with the Adviser (Proposal 1),
abstentions and broker non-votes will count as votes against the
approval of the proposal.
Revocability of Proxies
Any person giving a proxy pursuant to this solicitation has the
power to revoke it at any time before it is voted. It may be
revoked by filing with the Secretary of the Company at the
Companys principal executive office, 1521 Westbranch
Drive, Suite 200, McLean, Virginia 22102, a written notice
of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or
it may be revoked by attending the meeting and voting in person.
Attendance at the meeting will not, by itself, revoke a proxy.
However, no proxy is valid after eleven months from its date,
unless otherwise provided in the proxy.
PROPOSAL 1
APPROVAL OF AMENDED AND RESTATED INVESTMENT ADVISORY
AGREEMENT
Stockholders of the Company are being asked to approve an
amended and restated investment advisory agreement (the
Proposed Agreement) between the Company and the
Adviser. The Company desires to enter into the Proposed
Agreement to provide what it considers to be more appropriate
incentives to reward fund management. The Proposed Agreement
provides for an annual base management fee equal to 2% of the
Companys assets and an income-based incentive fee which
would reward the Adviser if the Companys quarterly net
investment income (before giving effect to any incentive fee)
exceeds 1.75% of the Companys net assets. The Proposed
Agreement also provides for a capital gains-based incentive fee,
whereby the Adviser would receive a fee equal to 20% of the
Companys realized capital gains (net of realized capital
losses and unrealized capital depreciation). For additional
information concerning the fees under the Proposed Agreement,
see The Proposed Agreement Advisory,
Administrative and Incentive Fees.
As explained in more detail below under Considerations of
the Board of Directors, in the opinion of the Board of
Directors the compensation structure provided by the Proposed
Agreement will be more likely to incentivize managers to
accomplish long-term goals consistent with the best interests of
the Companys stockholders than the equity incentive
structure provided under the Existing Agreement. In addition,
because this type of incentive structure is becoming predominant
among business development companies, it will be familiar to
analysts who evaluate the Company and its stock and will likely
enable the Company and the Adviser to compete more effectively
for the services of talented professionals.
If the Companys stockholders approve Proposal 1, the
Company will terminate its Amended and Restated 2001 Equity
Incentive Plan, no further options will be issued under the
plan, and the Company will seek the agreement of the holders of
outstanding options to terminate or exercise their outstanding
options. The Company anticipates that it may also accelerate the
vesting of all unvested stock options eligible for acceleration
under applicable SEC regulations, in which case any option
holders who choose to exercise will be able to publicly resell
their shares without restriction. Once all of the outstanding
options are either exercised or terminated, the Company would
then enter into the Proposed Agreement with the Adviser. As
described in greater detail below, the fees payable under the
Proposed Agreement (including incentive fees) would be higher
than those payable under the Existing Agreement. However,
because of the termination of the 2001 Amended and Restated
Equity Incentive Plan and the termination or exercise of all
outstanding options, the future appreciation in the
Companys stock price would inure to the Companys
stockholders at large, rather than to the option holders, and
the Companys stockholders would no longer face the
dilutive effect of options under the plan.
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The same individuals who manage the Companys portfolio
would continue to manage the portfolio under the Proposed
Agreement and, although the administrative services would be
provided pursuant to a separate Administration Agreement, there
is no expectation that the Companys stockholders would
notice any change or diminution in services because of this
organizational separation.
The Proposed Agreement is attached as Appendix A to this
Proxy Statement. At a meeting of the board of directors of the
Company held on July 7, 2005, the board of directors
unanimously voted to approve the Proposed Agreement with the
Adviser.
The affirmative vote of a majority, as defined in
the Investment Company Act, of the outstanding shares of the
Company is required to approve Proposal No. 1. Under
the Investment Company Act, the vote of holders of a
majority means the vote of the holders of the lesser
of (a) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of the Company
present at the meeting or represented by proxy if the holders of
more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company are
present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of
the Companys outstanding shares.
Current Advisory and Administrative Arrangements
Currently, the Company has an Investment Advisory and
Administrative Agreement (the Existing Agreement)
with the Adviser, pursuant to which the Adviser provides both
advisory and administrative services to the Company. The
Existing Agreement was approved by the Companys
stockholders on February 18, 2004. Under the Existing
Agreement, the Company pays the Adviser an annual advisory fee
of 1.25% of its total assets (as reduced by cash and cash
equivalents pledged to creditors), payable in quarterly
increments of 0.3125%, and an annual administrative fee of 0.75%
of its total assets (as reduced by cash and cash equivalents
pledged to creditors), payable in quarterly increments of
0.1875%.
Under the Existing Agreement, the Adviser (A) manages the
investment and reinvestment of the Companys assets,
including identifying, evaluating, and structuring such
investments; (B) continuously reviews, supervises and
administers the Companys investment program to determine
in its discretion the securities to be purchased or sold and the
portion of the Companys assets to be held un-invested;
(C) offers to provide significant managerial assistance to
the issuers of securities in which the Company is invested as
required by the Investment Company Act; (D) arranges debt
financing for the Company; (E) provides the Company with
all required records concerning the Advisers efforts on
behalf of the Company; and (F) provides regular reports to
the Companys board of directors concerning the
Advisers activities on behalf of the Company.
In addition to these advisory services, the Adviser also manages
the Companys day-to-day operations and administration,
record keeping and regulatory compliance functions. The Adviser
pays for all (i) costs and expenses incurred by it in
rendering services to the Company, including salaries and other
employee benefits of its employees who provide the Company
services, and (ii) the cost of office space, equipment,
services and similar items required for the Companys
day-to-day operations. The Company is required to pay all of its
operating expenses, except those borne by the Adviser. As the
Existing Agreement did not become effective until
October 1, 2004 and prior to October 1, 2004, the
Company was internally managed, no management fees were paid to
the Adviser for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004.
For the nine months ended June 30, 2005, the Company paid
total fees of $2,880,405 to the Adviser under the Existing
Agreement.
If the Companys stockholders approve Proposal 1, the
Proposed Agreement will go into effect on the later of:
(i) October 1, 2006; or (ii) the first day of the
first fiscal quarter beginning after the last of the
Companys outstanding stock options is either exercised or
terminated. The Existing Agreement will terminate effective upon
the effective date of the Proposed Agreement.
The Companys 2001 Equity Incentive Plan
As discussed in more detail below, under the Companys
Amended and Restated 2001 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, the
Company has the ability to grant to its officers, directors and
employees
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(including the officers, directors and employees of the Adviser)
certain equity incentive awards, such as options to purchase
stock of the Company. This equity incentive plan provides
performance-based compensation to the officers, directors and
employees of the Company and the Adviser who receive options,
and has historically been the method by which the Company has
sought to provide incentives to those personnel.
The following table shows certain information regarding all
options granted to the officers, directors and employees of the
Company and the Adviser (the Optionees), from the
Companys inception through September 30, 2005. The
table shows the estimated total value to all individuals granted
options by the Company under the Amended and Restated 2001
Equity Incentive Plan. The values are derived from the
assumptions set out below and are based on the guidelines
prescribed by proxy rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the SEC or Commission) for
the purpose of valuing options when calculating executive
compensation. These values are not the values used for financial
accounting purposes.
If the stock of the Company were to appreciate at the rates
prescribed by the SEC rules for the life of the options, and the
Optionees held their options until their expiration dates,
exercised the options, and sold the acquired shares in the
market, then the total amounts set forth in the table below
would inure to the Optionees. The same result generally would
occur if the Optionees exercised their options and held the
underlying stock until the scheduled expiration dates of the
options. To the extent that Optionees exercise their options and
sell the underlying shares prior to the expiration dates of the
options, a portion of this appreciation would inure to the
Companys stockholders at large.
Stockholders should note that, as of September 30, 2005, a
total of 680,002 of the options included in the table below had
already been exercised by the Optionees, which has the effect of
cutting off the potential future appreciation in the value of
these options. Nevertheless, in almost all circumstances, these
Optionees continue to hold the shares acquired on such exercises
and, as a result, continue to benefit from future appreciation
in the value of the Companys stock. Additionally, a total
of 2,000 of the options included in the table below expired
unexercised following the separation of an Optionee from
employment with the Company, and therefore no value may be
realized by the Optionee with respect to such options.
Stockholders should also be aware that, because the information
presented in the table below includes option grants for multiple
periods (in some cases, up to several years ago), stockholders
should note that the Companys stock price has fluctuated
during this period, experiencing annual appreciation, including
reinvestment of dividends, of up to 24% (during fiscal 2004) and
annual depreciation, including reinvestment of dividends, of up
to 4% (during fiscal 2001).
If the Proposed Agreement is approved, no further options will
be issued under the equity incentive plan. The Company
anticipates that it will terminate the plan and seek agreement
from the Optionees to exercise or terminate their options within
a limited period of time. To the extent that outstanding options
are terminated prior to exercise, or that Optionees exercise
their outstanding options and then sell the acquired shares into
the market, the future appreciation in the Companys stock
price will inure to the stockholders at large, rather than to
the Optionees.
4
Option Grants Since Inception
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Potential Realizable Value at |
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Assumed |
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Annual Rates of Stock Price |
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Average |
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Appreciation for Option |
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Number of |
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Exercise or |
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Term(1) |
Calendar Year |
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Securities Underlying |
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Base Price |
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Expiration |
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of Grant |
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Options Granted |
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($/Share) |
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Year |
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5% ($) |
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10% ($) |
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2001
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1,250,000 |
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$ |
15.00 |
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2011 |
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$ |
11,791,774 |
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$ |
29,882,671 |
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2002
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160,000 |
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$ |
17.14 |
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2012 |
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$ |
1,724,303 |
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$ |
4,369,723 |
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2003
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190,000 |
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$ |
17.54 |
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2013 |
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$ |
2,095,288 |
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$ |
5,309,872 |
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2004
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320,500 |
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$ |
22.19 |
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2014 |
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$ |
4,472,054 |
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$ |
11,333,063 |
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2005
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69,500 |
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$ |
24.13 |
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2015 |
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$ |
1,054,644 |
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$ |
2,672,674 |
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Total
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1,990,000 |
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$ |
16.88 |
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$ |
21,138,063 |
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$ |
53,568,003 |
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(1) |
The potential realizable value is based on the term of the
option at the time of its grant (10 years). It is
calculated by assuming that the stock price on the date of the
grant appreciates at the indicated annual rate, compounded
annually for the entire term of the option and that the option
is exercised and the underlying shares sold on the last day of
its term for the appreciated stock price. The amounts represent
certain assumed rates of appreciation only, in accordance with
the rules of the SEC, and do not reflect the Companys
estimate or projection of future stock price performance. Actual
gains, if any, are dependent on the actual future performance of
the Companys common stock and no gain to the optionee is
possible unless the stock price increases over the option term. |
The following table sets forth certain information regarding all
options exercised since the Companys inception, and
options held as of September 30, 2005, by the Optionees.
The table shows the aggregate value that has been realized upon
such exercises by the Optionees since the Companys
inception, and the aggregate value of in-the-money options
(i.e., options with exercise prices less than the market price)
held by the Optionees as of September 30, 2005.
Aggregate Option Exercises Since Inception
And Aggregate Value of Options at September 30, 2005
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Underlying | |
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Value of Unexercised | |
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Unexercised Options at | |
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September 30, 2005 | |
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September 30, 2005 ($)(2) | |
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Value Realized | |
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Shares Acquired on Exercise |
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Vested | |
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Unvested | |
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Vested | |
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Unvested(3) | |
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680,002
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$ |
702,735 |
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1,077,998 |
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230,000 |
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$ |
6,257,185 |
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$ |
61,470 |
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(1) |
Value realized is calculated at the closing market price on the
date of exercise, net of option exercise price, but before any
tax liabilities or transaction costs. |
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The value of unexercised options is calculated at the closing
market price on September 30, 2005 less the exercise price.
In-the-money options are those with an exercise
price that is less than the closing market price on
September 30, 2005. |
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Unvested options generally may be exercised by the optionholder,
but the shares underlying the options may not be resold until
the shares vest according to the vesting schedule of the
options. If the Proposed Agreement is approved and the
Companys equity incentive plan is terminated, the Company
anticipates that it will seek agreement from the Optionees to
exercise or terminate their options within a limited period of
time, and in conjunction therewith, the Company may accelerate
the vesting period of unvested options. Accordingly, when
stockholders are considering Proposal 1, they should be
aware that a substantial number of the unvested in-the-money
options set forth in the table above could become vested if the
Proposed Agreement is adopted. |
5
The Proposed Agreement
Advisory, Administrative and Incentive Fees. The Proposed
Agreement includes important differences in the fees that would
be paid to the Adviser. Under the Existing Agreement, the
Company pays the Adviser an annual advisory fee of 1.25% of its
total assets (as reduced by cash and cash equivalents pledged to
creditors), and an annual administrative fee of 0.75% of its
total assets (as reduced by cash and cash equivalents pledged to
creditors). Under the Proposed Agreement, the Company would pay
the Adviser an annual base management fee of 2% of its gross
assets, which is defined as total assets less cash and cash
equivalents pledged to creditors, for advisory services. The
Company would pay separately for administrative services under
the Administration Agreement, which payments would be equal to
the Companys allocable portion of Gladstone
Administrations overhead expenses in performing its
obligations under the Administration Agreement, including rent,
and the Companys allocable portion of the salaries and
benefits expenses of its chief financial officer, chief
compliance officer and controller and their respective staffs
(which, on a pro forma basis for the nine months ended
June 30, 2005, would have been approximately 0.16% of the
Companys net assets (annualized)). As a result, the
advisory and administrative fees paid by the Company under the
Proposed Agreement will be higher than those paid under the
Existing Agreement. The differences in the fees that are paid to
the Adviser under the Existing Agreement, and the fees that
would be paid under the Proposed Agreement, are explained in
more detail below under Additional Expense
Information.
The Proposed Agreement also includes incentive fees that will be
paid by the Company to the Adviser if the performance of the
Companys portfolio reaches certain benchmarks. These
incentive fees are intended to replace the Companys
current equity incentive plan and outstanding stock options,
which would be terminated if the Proposed Agreement is approved
by stockholders.
The incentive fee will have two parts, as follows: the first
part, the income incentive fee, will be calculated and payable
quarterly in arrears based on our pre-incentive fee net
investment income for the immediately preceding calendar
quarter. For this purpose, pre-incentive fee net investment
income means interest income, dividend income and any other
income (including any other fees, such as commitment,
origination, structuring, diligence, consulting and other fees
that we receive from portfolio companies, but excluding fees for
providing significant managerial assistance) accrued during the
calendar quarter, minus our 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 we have 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 our net assets at the end of the
immediately preceding calendar quarter, will be compared to a
hurdle rate of 1.75% per quarter (7%
annualized). Because the hurdle rate is fixed and has been based
in relation to current interest rates, which are currently
relatively low on a historical basis, if interest rates rise, it
would become easier for our investment income to exceed the
hurdle rate and, as a result, more likely that the Adviser will
receive an income incentive fee than if interest rates on our
investments remained constant or decreased. We will pay the
Adviser an income incentive fee with respect to our
pre-incentive fee net investment income in each calendar quarter
as follows:
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no incentive fee in any calendar quarter in which our
pre-incentive fee net investment income does not exceed the
hurdle rate; |
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100% of our pre-incentive fee net investment income with respect
to that portion of such pre-incentive fee net investment income,
if any, that exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than 2.1875% in
any calendar quarter (8.75% annualized); and |
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20% of the amount of our pre-incentive fee net investment
income, if any, that exceeds 2.1875% in any calendar quarter
(8.75% annualized). |
These calculations will be appropriately pro rated for any
period of less than three months and adjusted for any share
issuances or repurchases during the current quarter. We refer to
the portion of the incentive fee payable on 100% of our
pre-incentive fee net income, if any, that exceeds the hurdle
rate but is less than 2.1875% as the catch up. The
catch up provision is intended to provide the
Adviser with an incentive fee of 20% on all of our pre-incentive
fee investment income that does not exceed 2.1875% once the
hurdle rate has been surpassed.
The second part of the incentive fee, the capital gains
incentive fee, will be determined and payable in arrears as of
the end of each fiscal year (or upon termination of the Proposed
Agreement, as of the termination date), commencing on the
effective date of the Proposed Agreement, and will equal 20% of
our realized capital gains as of the end of the fiscal year. In
determining the capital gains incentive fee payable to the
Adviser, the Company will calculate the Cumulative Aggregate
Realized Capital Gains and Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Losses (each as defined below) since its inception, and the
Aggregate Unrealized Capital Depreciation as of the date of the
calculation, as applicable, with respect to each of the
investments in its portfolio.
For this purpose, Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Gains,
if any, will equal the sum of the differences between the net
sales price of each investment, when sold, and the original cost
of such investment since its inception (which will include
capital gains realized prior to the effective date of the
Proposed Agreement). Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Losses will equal the sum of the amounts by which the net sales
price of each investment, when sold, is less than the original
cost of such investment since the Companys inception
(which will include capital losses realized prior to the
effective date of the Proposed Agreement). Aggregate Unrealized
Capital Depreciation will equal the sum of the difference, if
negative, between the valuation of each investment as of the
applicable calculation date and the original cost of such
investment.
At the end of the applicable fiscal year, the amount of capital
gains that will serve as the basis for our calculation of the
capital gains incentive fee will equal the Cumulative Aggregate
Realized Capital Gains less Cumulative Aggregate Realized
Capital Losses and Aggregate Unrealized Capital Depreciation,
with respect to the Companys portfolio of investments. If
this number is positive at the end of such year, then the
capital gains incentive fee for such year will be equal to 20%
of such amount, less the aggregate amount of any capital gains
incentive fees paid in respect of our portfolio in all prior
years.
As of June 30, 2005, Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Gains for the Company since inception were $42,250, Cumulative
Aggregate Realized Capital Losses for the Company since
inception were $0, and Aggregate Unrealized Capital Depreciation
was $3,041,418.
Because of the structure of the incentive fee, it is possible
that we would have to pay an incentive fee in a quarter where we
incur a loss. For example, if we receive pre-incentive fee net
investment income in excess of the hurdle rate for a quarter, we
will pay the applicable income incentive fee even if we have
incurred a loss in that quarter due to realized capital losses.
7
Examples of Quarterly Incentive Fee Calculation.
Example 1: Income Incentive Fee (*):
|
|
|
Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) =
1.25% |
|
Hurdle rate(1) = 1.75% |
|
Base management fee(2) = 0.63% |
|
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent,
etc.) = 0.24% |
|
Pre-incentive fee net investment income (investment income -
(base management fee + other expenses)) = 0.38% |
|
|
Pre-incentive net investment income does not exceed hurdle rate,
therefore there is no income incentive fee. |
|
|
|
Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) =
2.70% |
|
Hurdle rate(1) = 1.75% |
|
Base management fee(2) = 0.63% |
|
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent,
etc.) = 0.24% Pre-incentive fee net investment income
(investment income - (base management fee + other expenses)) =
1.83% |
|
|
Pre-incentive net investment income exceeds hurdle rate,
therefore there is an income incentive fee payable to the
Adviser. |
|
|
Income incentive Fee = 100% × Catch Up + the
greater of 0% AND (20% × (pre-incentive fee net
investment income - 2.1875%) |
|
|
|
= (100% × (1.83% - 1.75%)) + 0% |
|
|
= 100% × 0.08% + 0% |
|
|
= 0.08% |
|
|
|
Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) =
3.20% |
|
Hurdle rate(1) = 1.75% |
|
Base management fee(2) = 0.63% |
|
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent,
etc.) = 0.24% |
|
Pre-incentive fee net investment income (investment income -
(base management fee + other expenses)) = 2.33% |
|
|
Pre-incentive net investment income exceeds hurdle rate,
therefore there is an income incentive fee payable to the
Adviser. |
|
|
Income incentive Fee = 100% × Catch Up + the
greater of 0% AND (20% × (pre-incentive fee net
investment income - 2.1875%) |
|
|
|
= (100% × (2.1875% - 1.75%)) + the greater of 0% AND
(20% × (2.33% - 2.1875%)) |
|
|
= (100% × 0.4375%) + (20% × 0.1425%) |
|
|
= 0.4375% + 0.0285% |
|
|
= 0.466% |
|
|
(1) |
Represents 7% annualized hurdle rate. |
8
|
|
(2) |
Represents base management fee of 2% (annualized) of gross
assets, expressed as a percentage of net assets of the Company
as of June 30, 2005. |
|
(*) |
The hypothetical amount of pre-incentive fee net investment
income shown is based on a percentage of net assets. |
Example 2: Capital Gains Incentive Fee:
|
|
|
Prior to Effective Date (1): cumulative aggregate realized
capital gains of $42,250; cumulative aggregate realized capital
losses of $0; aggregate unrealized capital depreciation of
$4,372,364 as of the Effective Date. |
|
|
Year 1 = No realized capital gains or losses during Year 1;
aggregate unrealized capital depreciation of $4,000,000 as of
the end of Year 1. |
|
|
Year 2 = Aggregate realized capital gains of $30,000,000 during
Year 2; no realized capital losses during Year 2; and aggregate
unrealized capital depreciation of $8,000,000 as of the end of
Year 2. |
|
|
Year 3 = No realized capital gains or losses during Year 3; and
aggregate unrealized capital depreciation of $12,000,000 as of
the end of Year 3. |
|
|
Year 4 = Aggregate realized capital gains of $20,000,000 during
Year 4; no realized capital losses during Year 4; and aggregate
unrealized capital depreciation of $15,000,000 as of the end of
Year 4. |
The capital gains portion of the incentive fee would be:
|
|
|
|
|
Year 1: No Capital Gains-based Incentive Fee ($0 of capital
gains realized during Year 1, plus $42,250 of Cumulative
Aggregate Realized Capital Gains prior to Year 1, minus $0
of capital losses realized during Year 1, minus $0 of
Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Losses prior to
Year 1, minus $4,000,000 of Aggregate Unrealized Capital
Depreciation as of the end of Year 1, multiplied by 20%). |
|
|
|
Year 2: Capital Gains-based Incentive Fee of $4,408,450
($30,000,000 of capital gains realized during Year 2, plus
$42,250 of Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Gains prior to
Year 2, minus $0 of capital losses realized during
Year 2, minus $0 of Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Losses prior to Year 2, minus $8,000,000 of Aggregate
Unrealized Capital Depreciation as of the end of Year 2,
multiplied by 20%). |
|
|
|
Year 3: No Capital Gains-Based Incentive Fee ($0 of capital
gains realized during Year 3, plus $30,042,250 of
Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Gains prior to
Year 3, minus $0 of capital losses realized during
Year 3, minus $0 of Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Losses prior to Year 3, minus $12,000,000 of Aggregate
Unrealized Capital Depreciation as of the end of Year 3,
multiplied by 20%) less $4,408,450 (previous capital gains-based
incentive fee paid in Year 2). |
|
|
|
Year 4: Capital Gains-Based Incentive Fee of $2,600,000
($20,000,000 of capital gains realized during Year 4, plus
$30,042,250 of Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Gains prior
to Year 4, minus $0 of capital losses realized during
Year 4, minus $0 of Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Losses prior to Year 4, minus $15,000,000 Aggregate
Unrealized Capital Depreciation as of the end of Year 4,
multiplied by 20%) less $4,408,450 (previous capital gains-based
incentive fee paid in Year 2). |
|
|
(1) |
Represents Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Gains,
Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Losses and Aggregate
Unrealized Capital Depreciation as of June 30, 2005. The
actual amounts of these measures will depend upon the level of
realized capital gains and losses, if any, realized between
June 30, 2005 and the effective date of the Proposed
Agreement. |
9
Additional Expense Information
The table below provides a comparison of the expenses under the
Existing Agreement and the Proposed Agreement. The fees and
expenses table below and the assumption in the example of a 5%
annual return are required by SEC regulations to assist
investors in understanding the various costs and expenses
associated with their investments. The fees and expenses table
presents:
|
|
|
|
|
fees and expenses incurred under the Existing Agreement for the
nine months ended June 30, 2005 (annualized); |
|
|
|
a pro forma presentation of the fees and expenses under the
current agreement for the nine months ended June 30, 2005
(annualized) if the Company had elected to account for its
stock-based compensation under the fair value provisions of
SFAS No. 123(R) for the nine-month period ended
June 30, 2005; and |
|
|
|
a pro forma presentation of the fees and expenses under the
Proposed Agreement as if the Proposed Agreement had been in
effect for the nine months ended June 30, 2005. |
The fees and expenses table and the example are intended to
assist you in understanding these fees and expenses, and should
not be considered a representation of past or future expenses or
annual rates of return. Actual expenses or annual rates of
return may be more or less than those used for purposes of the
fee table and example. All information presented below is
unaudited.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees and Expenses |
|
Current |
|
Pro Forma |
|
Pro Forma |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Existing |
|
SFAS 123(R) |
|
(Proposed |
|
|
Agreement) |
|
|
|
Agreement) |
Stockholder Transaction Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales Load (as a percentage of offering price)(1)
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
None |
|
|
Dividend Reinvestment Plan Fees
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
None |
|
|
|
None |
|
Annual Expenses (as a percentage of net assets
attributable to common shares)(2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Base Management Fees(3)
|
|
|
1.56 |
% |
|
|
1.56 |
% |
|
|
2.40 |
% |
|
Administrative Fees(4)
|
|
|
0.94 |
% |
|
|
0.94 |
% |
|
|
0.16 |
% |
|
2001 Equity Incentive Plan(5)
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
0.19 |
% |
|
|
N/A |
|
|
Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds(6)
|
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
|
1.18 |
% |
|
Other Expenses(7)
|
|
|
0.97 |
% |
|
|
0.97 |
% |
|
|
0.97 |
% |
Total Annual Expenses (excluding incentive fees)
|
|
|
4.65 |
% |
|
|
4.84 |
% |
|
|
4.71 |
% |
|
Income-Based Incentive Fee(8)
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
2.37 |
% |
|
Capital Gains-Based Incentive Fee(9)
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
0 |
% |
Total Annual Expenses (including incentive fees)(10)
|
|
|
4.65 |
% |
|
|
4.84 |
% |
|
|
7.08 |
% |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
A 7.00% underwriting discount was applicable as a one-time fee
in the Companys initial public offering in August 2001,
and a 5.00% underwriting discount was applicable as a one-time
fee in the Companys public offering of
1,150,000 shares of common stock pursuant to a shelf
registration statement in September 2004. |
|
|
(2) |
Net assets attributable to common shares equal the consolidated
average net assets for the nine months ended June 30, 2005. |
|
|
(3) |
Annual expenses are required by the SEC to be calculated as a
percentage of net assets rather than total assets (which would
include assets purchased with borrowed funds). If the management
fees were calculated instead as a percentage of total assets (as
reduced by cash and cash equivalents pledged to creditors),
Current and Pro Forma (SFAS 123(R)) base management fees
would equal 1.25% as set forth in the Existing Agreement, and
Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement) base management fees would equal
2.0% as set forth in the Proposed Agreement. |
10
|
|
|
|
(4) |
If administrative fees were calculated as a percentage of total
assets (as reduced by cash and cash equivalents pledged to
creditors), Current and Pro Forma (SFAS 123(R))
administrative fees would equal 0.75% as set forth in the
Existing Agreement. Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement)
administrative fees represent the amount of administrative fees
that the Company would have paid to Gladstone Administration had
the Proposed Agreement been in effect for the nine months ended
June 30, 2005 (annualized). Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement)
administrative fees are determined using the aggregate cost of
the salaries and benefits paid to our chief financial officer,
chief compliance officer and controller and their respective
staffs, as well as the rental expense of our McLean, Virginia
office attributable to these personnel, multiplied by a fraction
which is equal to the ratio of total assets of the Company to
total assets of all companies managed by the Adviser, for the
nine months ended June 30, 2005 (annualized). |
|
|
(5) |
Under the revised SFAS No. 123(R) approved by the
Financial Accounting Standards Board in December 2004,
Share-Based Payment, the Company will be required to
begin expensing the value of stock options granted as
compensation expense beginning in October of 2006. The
Pro Forma (SFAS 123(R)) amount represents the
compensation expense that the Company would have incurred had it
elected to account for its stock-based compensation under the
fair value provisions of SFAS No. 123(R) for the nine
months ended June 30, 2005 (annualized). If the Proposed
Agreement is approved by stockholders, the Companys
current equity incentive plan will be terminated and no new
options will be granted under the plan. The Company anticipates
that it will seek agreement from Optionees to exercise or
terminate their options within a limited period of time, and at
the expiration of that period the equity incentive plan and all
options remaining outstanding under the plan will terminate. The
Proposed Agreement will not become effective until all stock
options are exercised or terminated and the equity incentive
plan is terminated. As long as the Proposed Agreement is in
effect, SEC regulations prohibit the Company from implementing
any equity incentive plans, and therefore if the Proposed
Agreement is approved, the Company does not contemplate the
creation of any future equity incentive plans. |
|
|
(6) |
As of June 30, 2005, the Company had aggregate outstanding
borrowings of $54.6 million under its revolving credit
facilities. The Company intends to borrow funds in the future up
to an amount so that asset coverage, as defined in the
Investment Company Act, is at least 200% after each issuance of
senior securities. Assuming the Company borrowed
$100 million, representing the maximum amount of borrowing
available under its existing credit facilities, at an interest
rate of 3.2%, interest payments on borrowed funds would be 2.08%
on a pro forma basis. |
|
|
(7) |
Other Expenses are based on amounts incurred for the
nine months ended June 30, 2005 (annualized). |
|
|
(8) |
Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement) Income-Based Incentive Fee is
calculated pursuant to the formula described above under
Advisory, Administrative and Incentive Fees as
applied to the Companys actual results of operations
during the nine months ended June 30, 2005 as follows: |
|
|
|
|
|
For the quarter ended December 31, 2004, the Companys
pre-incentive fee net investment income would have been
approximately $4,692,959, resulting in an income-based incentive
fee of $938,592 for the quarter; |
|
|
|
For the quarter ended March 31, 2005, the Companys
pre-incentive fee net investment income would have been
approximately $4,489,906, resulting in an income-based incentive
fee of $897,981 for the quarter; and |
|
|
|
For the quarter ended June 30, 2005, the Companys
pre-incentive fee net investment income would have been
approximately $4,407,952, resulting in an income-based incentive
fee of $881,590 for the quarter. |
|
|
|
|
(9) |
Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement) Capital Gains-Based Incentive Fee
is calculated pursuant to the formula described above under
Advisory, Administrative and Incentive Fees as
applied to the |
11
|
|
|
|
|
Companys actual realized capital gains and losses from
inception through June 30, 2005 and the Companys
aggregate unrealized capital depreciation as of June 30,
2005 as follows: |
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Gains from inception
through June 30, 2005 = $42,250; |
|
|
|
Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Losses from inception
through June 30, 2005 = $0; and |
|
|
|
Aggregate Unrealized Capital Depreciation as of June 30,
2005 = $4,372,364. |
Because Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital Losses and
Aggregate Unrealized Capital Depreciation exceeded Cumulative
Aggregate Realized Capital Gains as of June 30, 2005, no
Capital Gains based fee would have been paid for the twelve
months ended June 30, 2005.
|
|
(10) |
Total annual expenses would be 3.72% on a Current basis, 3.87%
on a Pro Forma (SFAS 123(R)) basis, and 5.04% on a Pro
Forma (Proposed Agreement) basis, if total annual expenses
percentages were calculated as a percentage of total assets (as
reduced by cash and cash equivalents pledged to creditors) as of
June 30, 2005. |
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the
projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would
be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical
investment of $1,000 in the Companys common stock under
the Existing Agreement (Current), Existing Agreement
with pro forma effect to SFAS 123(R) (Pro Forma
(SFAS 123(R))) and under the Proposed Agreement
(Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement)). The example
assumes an investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Companys operating expenses remain the same.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 Year | |
|
3 Years | |
|
5 Years | |
|
10 Years | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Current
|
|
$ |
46.58 |
|
|
$ |
140.23 |
|
|
$ |
234.54 |
|
|
$ |
473.21 |
|
Pro Forma (SFAS 123(R))
|
|
$ |
48.44 |
|
|
$ |
145.55 |
|
|
$ |
242.97 |
|
|
$ |
487.89 |
|
Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement)
|
|
$ |
70.06 |
|
|
$ |
205.85 |
|
|
$ |
336.04 |
|
|
$ |
638.56 |
|
The example set forth above assumes reinvestment of all
dividends and other distributions at net asset value and an
expense ratio based on net assets attributable to common stock
of 4.65% (Current), 4.84% (Pro Forma (SFAS 123(R))) and
7.08% (Pro Forma (Proposed Agreement)). In addition, while the
example assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions
at net asset value, participants in the Companys Dividend
Reinvestment Plan may receive shares purchased or issued at a
price or value different from net asset value.
Obligations Under Proposed Agreement. The same
individuals who currently manage the Companys portfolio
will continue to manage the portfolio if the Proposed Agreement
is approved by the Companys stockholders. Under the
Proposed Agreement, the Adviser will continue to:
(A) manage the investment and reinvestment of the
Companys assets, including identifying, evaluating, and
structuring such investments; (B) continuously review,
supervise and administer the Companys investment program
to determine in its discretion the securities to be purchased or
sold and the portion of the Companys assets to be held
un-invested; (C) offer to provide significant managerial
assistance to the issuers of securities in which the Company is
invested as required by the Investment Company Act;
(D) arrange debt financing for the Company;
(E) provide the Company with all required records
concerning the Advisers efforts on behalf of the Company;
and (F) provide regular reports to the Companys Board
concerning the Advisers activities on behalf of the
Company.
The Proposed Agreement, however, would separate the advisory
functions performed for the Company by the Adviser from the
administrative services performed for the Company, which would
henceforth be performed by Gladstone Administration, LLC
(Gladstone Administration), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Adviser, pursuant to a separate administration
agreement (the Administration Agreement). The
Administration Agreement is attached as Appendix B to this
Proxy Statement. This is largely an organizational change, and
we do not expect that the Company and its stockholders would
notice any change or diminution in services because of the
separation. Gladstone Administration will manage the
Companys day-to-day operations and administration, record
keeping and regulatory compliance functions.
12
As with the Existing Agreement, under the Proposed Agreement the
Adviser (or Gladstone Administration) would continue to pay for
all (i) costs and expenses incurred by it in rendering
services to the Company, including salaries and other employee
benefits of its employees who provide the Company services, and
(ii) costs of office space, equipment, services and similar
items required for the Companys day-to-day operations.
Also, as with the Existing Agreement, the Company would continue
to pay all of its operating expenses, except those borne by the
Adviser and Gladstone Administration, under the Proposed
Agreement.
If the Proposed Agreement is approved by stockholders, the
Companys current equity incentive plan will be terminated
and no new options will be granted under the plan. The Company
anticipates that it will seek agreement from Optionees to
exercise or terminate their options within a limited period of
time, and at the expiration of that period the equity incentive
plan and all options remaining outstanding under the plan will
terminate. Under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,
it is impermissible for the Company to compensate an investment
adviser in the manner contemplated under the Proposed Agreement
while it has in place a stock option plan or any outstanding
stock options. Consequently, the Proposed Agreement will not be
implemented until all stock options are exercised or terminated
and the equity incentive plan is terminated. Further, as long as
the Proposed Agreement is in effect, the Company will not be
permitted to implement any future equity incentive plans.
Portfolio Managers. The following individuals will
continue to be primarily responsible for the day-to-day
management of the Companys portfolio under the Proposed
Agreement:
|
|
|
David Gladstone. Mr. Gladstone is a founder of
Gladstone Capital Corporation and has been chief executive
officer and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company
since its inception. Mr. Gladstone is also a founder of our
affiliates Gladstone Commercial Corporation (NASDAQ: GOOD), a
real estate investment trust, and Gladstone Investment
Corporation (NASDAQ: GAIN), an investment company.
Mr. Gladstone has served as chief executive officer and
chairman of the board of directors of Gladstone Commercial since
its inception in 2003, and of Gladstone Investment since its
inception in 2005. Mr. Gladstone is also the founder, chief
executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of the
Adviser. Prior to founding the Company, Mr. Gladstone
served as either chairman or vice chairman of the board of
directors of American Capital Strategies, a publicly traded
leveraged buyout fund and mezzanine debt finance company, from
June 1997 to August 2001. From 1974 to February 1997,
Mr. Gladstone held various positions, including chairman
and chief executive officer, with Allied Capital Corporation,
Allied Capital Corporation II, Allied Capital Lending
Corporation, Allied Capital Commercial Corporation and Allied
Capital Advisors Inc. The Allied companies were the largest
group of publicly traded mezzanine debt funds and were managers
of two private venture capital limited partnerships. From 1992
to 1997, Mr. Gladstone served as a director, president and
chief executive officer of Business Mortgage Investors, a
private mortgage REIT managed by Allied Capital. |
|
|
Mr. Gladstone was the founder and managing member of The
Capital Investors, a group of angel investors, and is currently
a member emeritus. He is also the chairman and owner of
Gladstone Land Corporation, a company that owns farmland in
California. Mr. Gladstone holds a MBA degree from the
Harvard Business School, a MA from American University and a BA
from the University of Virginia. Mr. Gladstone has authored
two books on financing for small and medium sized businesses,
Venture Capital Handbook and Venture Capital
Investing published by Prentice Hall. |
|
|
Terry Lee Brubaker. Mr. Brubaker has been chief
operating officer and a director of the Company since May 2001.
Mr. Brubaker also served as president of the Company from
May 2001 through April 2004, when he assumed the duties of vice
chairman. Mr. Brubaker has also served as president,
secretary, chief operating officer and a director of Gladstone
Commercial since its inception in 2003, and as vice chairman,
secretary, chief operating officer and a director of Gladstone
Investment since its inception in 2005. Mr. Brubaker is
also the president, chief operating officer, secretary and a
director of the Adviser. In March 1999, Mr. Brubaker
founded, and remains a private investor in, Heads Up Systems, a
company providing process industries with leading edge
technology. From 1996 to 1999, |
13
|
|
|
Mr. Brubaker served as vice president of the paper group
for the American Forest & Paper Association. From 1992
to 1995, Mr. Brubaker served as president of Interstate
Resources, a pulp and paper company. From 1991 to 1992,
Mr. Brubaker served as president of IRI, a radiation
measurement equipment manufacturer. From 1981 to 1991,
Mr. Brubaker held several management positions at James
River Corporation, a forest and paper company, including vice
president of strategic planning from 1981 to 1982, group vice
president of the Groveton Group and Premium Printing Papers from
1982 to 1990 and vice president of human resources development
in 1991. From 1976 to 1981, Mr. Brubaker was strategic
planning manager and marketing manager of white papers at Boise
Cascade. Previously, Mr. Brubaker was a senior engagement
manager at McKinsey & Company from 1972 to 1976.
Mr. Brubaker holds a MBA degree from the Harvard Business
School and a BSE from Princeton University. |
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George Stelljes III. Mr. Stelljes has been the
Companys chief investment officer since September 2002 and
a director since July 2003. Mr. Stelljes also served as
executive vice president from May 2001 through April 2004, when
he assumed the duties of president, and as a director of the
Company from August 2001 until September 2002. Mr. Stelljes
has also served as executive vice president and chief investment
officer of Gladstone Commercial since its inception in 2003, and
as president, chief investment officer and a director of
Gladstone Investment since its inception in 2005.
Mr. Stelljes is also executive vice president, chief
investment officer and a director of the Adviser. Prior to
becoming executive vice present and chief investment officer of
the Company, Mr. Stelljes served as a managing member of
St. Johns Capital, a vehicle used to make private equity
investments. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Stelljes was a
co-founder and managing member of Camden Partners, a private
equity firm which finances high growth companies in the
communications, healthcare and business services sectors. From
1997 to 1999, Mr. Stelljes was a partner of Columbia
Capital, a venture capital firm focused on investments in
communications and information technology. Prior to joining
Columbia, Mr. Stelljes was an executive vice president and
a principal at Allied Capital Corporation from 1989 to 1997.
Mr. Stelljes currently serves as a general partner and
investment committee member of Patriot Capital, a private equity
fund. He is also a former board member and regional president of
the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies.
Mr. Stelljes holds a MBA from the University of Virginia
and a BA in Economics from Vanderbilt University. |
Payment of the Advisers and the Companys
expenses. All investment professionals of the Adviser and
its staff, when and to the extent engaged in providing
investment advisory and management services, and the
compensation and routine overhead expenses of such personnel
allocable to such services, will be provided and paid for by the
Adviser. The Company will bear all other costs and expenses of
its operations and transactions, including those relating to:
calculation of our net asset value (including the cost and
expenses of any independent valuation firm); expenses incurred
by the Adviser or Gladstone Administration payable to third
parties, including agents, consultants or other advisors (such
as independent valuation firms, accountants and legal counsel),
in monitoring our financial and legal affairs and in monitoring
our investments and performing due diligence on our prospective
portfolio companies; interest payable on debt, if any, and
dividends payable on preferred stock, if any, incurred to
finance our investments; offerings of our debt, our preferred
shares, our common stock and other securities; investment
advisory fees; fees payable to third parties, including agents,
consultants or other advisors, relating to, or associated with,
evaluating and making investments; transfer agent and custodial
fees; registration fees; listing fees; taxes; independent
directors fees and expenses; costs of preparing and filing
reports or other documents of the SEC; the costs of any reports,
proxy statements or other notices to stockholders, including
printing costs; our allocable portion of the fidelity bond,
directors and officers/errors and omissions liability insurance,
and any other insurance premiums; direct costs and expenses of
administration, including auditor and legal costs; and all other
expenses incurred by the Company, by the Adviser, or by
Gladstone Administration in connection with administering our
business, such as our allocable portion of overhead under the
Administration Agreement, including rent, and our allocable
portion of the costs of our chief compliance officer, chief
financial officer and controller and their respective staffs.
14
Duration and termination. The Proposed Agreement was
approved by our board of directors on July 7, 2005. Unless
terminated earlier as described below, it will continue in
effect for a period of one year from its effective date. It will
remain in effect from year to year thereafter if approved
annually by our board of directors or by the affirmative vote of
the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities,
including, in either case, approval by a majority of our
directors who are not interested persons. The Proposed Agreement
will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The
Proposed Agreement may be terminated by either party without
penalty upon not more than 60 days written notice to
the other.
Indemnification. The Proposed Agreement provides that,
absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard
of its duties and obligations, the Adviser and its officers,
managers, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and
any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to
indemnification from us for any damages, liabilities, costs and
expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees and amounts
reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of the
Advisers services under the Proposed Agreement or
otherwise as an investment adviser of the Company.
Managerial Assistance and Servicing fees. Pursuant to the
servicing agreement with the senior lenders that provide lines
of credit to the Company, the Adviser services loans placed in
the pool of loans that is being readied for securitization. Fees
that the Adviser receives for servicing these loans are credited
to the Company and offset against the investment advisory fees
due from the Company to the Adviser. If the Proposed Agreement
is approved by stockholders, the Adviser will continue to credit
those servicing fees received against the investment advisory
fees due under the Proposed Agreement from the Company to the
Adviser.
The Investment Company Act requires that the Company make
available significant managerial assistance to portfolio
companies. To the extent that the Adviser provides the required
managerial assistance to portfolio companies of the Company, any
fees received by the Adviser will be paid to the Company, or
credited to the Company and offset against the investment
advisory fees due from the Company to the Adviser. However, to
the extent that the Adviser provides investment banking or other
services to portfolio companies of the Company, such investment
banking fees will be retained by the Adviser. Currently the
Adviser is receiving investment banking and other fees from our
portfolio companies for services rendered to portfolio companies
and currently those fees are being credited against the
investment advisory and administrative fees due from the
Company. The Adviser has indicated that it intends to continue
this practice if the Proposed Agreement is adopted.
The board of directors of the Company has established and
approved this policy on all fees and receives quarterly reports
on all fees paid to the Adviser by the Company and its portfolio
companies.
Considerations of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors approved the Proposed Agreement at a
meeting held on July 7, 2005. In its consideration of the
Proposed Agreement, the board of directors focused on
information it had received relating to, among other things: the
reasonableness of the advisory fee (including the incentive
fee), the experience of the Advisers personnel, the
potential for additional attractive investments resulting from
synergies with other funds to be managed by the Adviser, and the
advantage of terminating the Companys equity incentive
plan in favor of the incentive fee arrangement. The board of
directors considered the investment advisory and incentive fees
under the Proposed Agreement and the administrative fees under
the Administration Agreement (the Proposed Fees) and
information on fees charged by other investment advisers and
administrators for comparable services, and determined that the
Proposed Fees were reasonable in relation to the services to be
provided by the Adviser and Gladstone Administration.
In recommending that the Company continue to use the Adviser as
its investment adviser, the Companys board of directors
considered the fact that the advisory and administrative team of
the Adviser and Gladstone Administration are expected to be in
all material respects, for at least the next year, the same as
the current team responsible for managing and administering the
Company and the fact that our
15
investment objectives are consistent with the investment
selection process employed by the Adviser. In connection with
its final deliberations, the board of directors reviewed and
discussed additional materials provided by the Adviser in
response to the Boards request, including information
regarding the services to be performed; the prior experience of
the Advisers personnel in connection with the types of
investments we propose to make, including such personnels
extensive network of contacts; the size of the Advisers
staff; anticipated changes in the Advisers current
personnel; the compensation of such personnel; the
Advisers ability to provide managerial assistance to
portfolio companies; the written plan for allocating investment
opportunities among the Advisers current and future
clients; the Advisers operations; and the Advisers
organizational capability and financial condition as evidenced
by the Advisers level of service to us and to our
affiliates, Gladstone Investment Corporation and Gladstone
Commercial Corporation. The board of directors also relied upon
comparisons of the services to be rendered and the amounts to be
paid under the Proposed Agreement with those under other
investment advisory contracts, such as Gladstone Investment
Corporation, which has entered into an agreement with the
Adviser on substantially identical terms and conditions. When
evaluating comparisons, the board of directors considered, among
other things:
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the Advisers strong performance, as evidenced by the fact
that the total stockholder return on an investment in the
Company has historically exceeded the Standards &
Poors 500 Index and the Companys peer group (which
is composed of Allied Capital Corporation and American Capital
Strategies, Ltd.); |
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the high quality and extensive level of the advisory and other
services that we expect the Adviser to continue to provide to us; |
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the fact that our projected operating expenses and expense ratio
are equal to or lower than those of other business development
companies with similar investment objectives; and |
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the difficulty of obtaining similar services from other third
party service providers. |
The board of directors acknowledged that the fees to be received
by the Adviser under the Proposed Agreement are expected to
exceed the Advisers costs of providing services to the
Company. However, the board did not attempt to quantify the
Advisers level of profits (including those based on fees
received from the Companys portfolio companies) because of
its satisfaction with the Advisers performance advising
the Company. The Proposed Agreement does not provide for any
reduction in fees in the event that the Adviser experiences any
economies of scale in its provision of management services to
the Company. The board of directors also considered the fact
that Gladstone Administration allocates the costs of providing
administrative services to the Advisers externally managed
funds on a pro-rata basis and, therefore, to the extent the
Adviser recognizes economies of scale in providing
administrative services to its externally managed funds, those
economies of scale will also be indirectly recognized by the
Company under the Administration Agreement. Thus, to the extent
that Gladstone Administrations costs decrease, those
reductions will be passed through indirectly to the Company in
the form of a reduced administration fee.
In its consideration of the incentive fee included in the
Proposed Agreement, the board of directors focused on
information it had received relating to, among other things:
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the fact that the Proposed Agreement provides for substantially
the same fees as those paid by other business development
companies with similar investment objectives and no equity
incentive plans, including Gladstone Investment Corporation; |
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the fact that an incentive fee arrangement is more appropriate
to an externally managed fund (like the Company) than is a stock
option program; |
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the fact that stockholders increasingly demand strong fund
performance and are willing to reward managers for meeting those
goals; |
16
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the fact that the utility of a stock option plan to reward fund
management has been curtailed by recent regulations that
prohibit executive officers from borrowing from an issuer to
finance the exercise of their stock options; |
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the concern that stock options may incentivize managers (and
directors who receive stock options) to manage a fund for
short-run returns rather than long-term goals; |
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the fact that incentive fees are the predominant method used by
private equity firms with whom the Company and the Adviser
compete for talented professionals; |
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the fact that the use of incentive fees is now becoming standard
among business development companies and is a compensation
structure that is both understood and expected by analysts who
evaluate the Company and its stock; and |
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the expectation that the Company and its stockholders would
benefit from the removal of the dilutive effects associated with
stock options, and the avoidance of the accounting charges
related to stock options that will soon be required to be
recognized as non-cash expense by the Company under recently
adopted accounting rules. |
Based on the information reviewed by, and the ensuing
discussions of, the Companys board of directors, the
board, including a majority of the non-interested directors,
concluded that the investment advisory fee rates, including the
incentive fee rates, were reasonable in relation to the services
to be provided by the Adviser and Gladstone Administration.
Based on its review and discussion, the board approved the
Proposed Agreement as being in the best interests of the
Companys stockholders. The board then directed that the
Proposed Agreement be submitted to stockholders for approval
with the boards recommendation that stockholders of the
Company vote to approve the Proposed Agreement.
Termination of the Equity Incentive Plan and Exercise of
Existing Stock Options
Regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission prohibit a business development company, such as the
Company, from implementing an incentive advisory fee while it
has in place a stock option plan or any outstanding stock
options. If the Proposed Agreement is approved by the
Companys stockholders, the Company will terminate its
equity incentive plan. Once the plan is terminated, the Company
anticipates that it will seek agreement from all holders of
stock options to exercise or terminate their outstanding options
within a limited period of time. In connection with seeking such
agreement from its option holders, the Company may also
accelerate the vesting of all unvested stock options eligible
for acceleration under applicable SEC regulations. Since the
Companys shares underlying the issued stock options have
been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, upon exercise
option holders will be able to publicly resell their shares
without restriction. If the Proposed Agreement is approved by
stockholders, the Company will execute the Proposed Agreement
with the Adviser and the Administration Agreement with Gladstone
Administration on the later of (i) October 1, 2006 and
(ii) the first day of the first fiscal quarter following
the date that all existing stock options are exercised or
terminated. The Proposed Agreement and the Administration
Agreement will not become effective as long as the equity
incentive plan is in effect or as long as there are any
outstanding stock options. It is expected that the Proposed
Agreement and the Administration Agreement will be executed and
go into effect on October 1, 2006. Until the Proposed
Agreement and the Administration Agreement are executed and all
stock options have been exercised or terminated, the Existing
Agreement will continue in effect. Once the Proposed Agreement
and Administration Agreement are executed, the Existing
Agreement will terminate.
Other Information About the Proposed Agreement
If approved by stockholders, the Proposed Agreement will remain
in full force and effect for one year from its effective date,
and will automatically renew for successive annual periods
thereafter, but only so long as such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually by both (i) the board of
directors of the Company or by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of
the Company, and (ii) the vote of a majority of those
directors of the Company who are not parties to the
17
Proposed Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast
in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
approval.
The Advisers services under the Proposed Agreement will
not be exclusive to the Company. The Adviser currently provides
advisory services to our affiliates Gladstone Commercial
Corporation and Gladstone Investment Corporation, and the
Adviser will be free to render services to other clients. The
Proposed Agreement can be terminated at any time and without
penalty upon at least 60 days prior written notice.
Information About Gladstone Management
The Adviser is a registered investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and is incorporated
under the laws of Delaware. Its principal business address is
1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 200, McLean, VA 22102.
The Adviser is controlled by David Gladstone, chairman of the
board of directors and chief executive officer of the Company.
Mr. Gladstone is also the chairman of the board of
directors and chief executive officer of the Adviser. Terry Lee
Brubaker, vice chairman, secretary, director and chief operating
officer of the Company, is a member of the board of directors of
the Adviser and its chief operating officer, president and
secretary. George Stelljes III, president, director
and chief investment officer of the Company, is a member of the
board of directors of the Adviser and its chief investment
officer. Harry Brill, chief financial officer and treasurer of
the Company, is chief financial officer and treasurer of the
Adviser.
The Adviser provides investment advisory and administrative
services to Gladstone Investment Corporation, a business
development company, and to Gladstone Commercial Corporation, a
real estate investment trust, for each of which
Mr. Gladstone serves as the chief executive officer and
chairman of the board of directors. In the future, the Adviser
may provide investment advisory and administrative services to
other funds, both public and private, of which it is the
sponsor. The table below describes the compensation paid to the
Adviser by Gladstone Investment Corporation and Gladstone
Commercial Corporation for advisory services.
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Total Assets at | |
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Rate of Compensation to |
Fund |
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June 30, 2005 | |
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Gladstone Management Corporation |
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(Unaudited) | |
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Gladstone Commercial Corporation
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$ |
128,188,185 |
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Gladstone Commercial compensates the Adviser through
reimbursement of its portion of the Advisers payroll,
benefits and general overhead expenses. This reimbursement is
generally subject to a combined annual management fee limitation
of 2.0% of Gladstone Commercials average invested assets
for the year, with certain exceptions. Reimbursement for
overhead expenses is only required up to the point that
reimbursed overhead expenses and payroll and benefits expenses,
on a combined basis, equal 2.0% of Gladstone Commercials
average invested assets for the year, and general overhead
expenses are required to be reimbursed only if the amount of
payroll and benefits reimbursed to the Adviser is less than 2.0%
of its average invested assets for the year. However, payroll
and benefits expenses are required to be reimbursed by Gladstone
Commercial to the extent that they exceed the overall 2.0%
annual management fee limitation. Additionally, in the event
that overhead expenses exceed the combined limitation, Gladstone
Commercials independent directors may authorize
reimbursement of the full amount of such excess overhead
expenses, or any portion thereof, if |
18
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Total Assets at | |
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Rate of Compensation to |
Fund |
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June 30, 2005 | |
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Gladstone Management Corporation |
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(Unaudited) | |
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they determine that the excess expenses were justified based on
unusual and nonrecurring factors which they deem sufficient.
However, this authorization may be given only to the extent that
such reimbursement of excess overhead expenses would not cause
Gladstone Commercials annual overhead reimbursements to
exceed 2.0% of its average invested assets for the year. The
Adviser has not voluntarily waived or reduced any amounts
payable by Gladstone Commercial. During the twelve months ended
June 30, 2005, Gladstone Commercial has made aggregate
payments to the Adviser of $1,617,078. |
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Gladstone Investment
Corporation
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$ |
200,628,803 |
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Gladstone Investment pays the Adviser a base management fee and
a two-part incentive fee for investment advisory services. The
base management fee is charged at an annual rate of 2% of
Gladstone Investments gross assets, which is
defined as its total assets, less cash and cash equivalents that
are not invested in debt or equity securities of its portfolio
companies in accordance with its investment objectives. The
incentive fee consists of a quarterly income-based incentive fee
and a capital gains incentive fee. The income-based incentive
fee is calculated on the basis of pre-incentive fee net
investment income, which is 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, and other fees that Gladstone Investment receives from its
portfolio companies, minus its operating expenses. No incentive
fee is charged for any calendar quarter in which pre-incentive
fee net investment income does not exceed a quarterly hurdle
rate of 1.75%. Gladstone Investment also pays 100% of any
pre-incentive fee net investment income that exceeds the hurdle
rate but is less than 2.1875% in any calendar quarter, and 20%
of any pre-incentive fee net investment income that exceeds
2.1875% in any calendar quarter. |
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The Adviser has agreed to charge the base management fee on a
reduced basis from the effective date of the investment advisory
and management agreement, June 22, 2005, through
March 31, 2006. For this initial period, the annual 2% base
management fee will be charged on the basis of gross
invested assets rather than gross invested assets.
Gross invested assets is defined as total assets,
including investments made with proceeds of borrowings, less any
uninvested cash or cash equivalents resulting from borrowings. |
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Gladstone Investment also pays Gladstone Administration for its
allocable portion of Gladstone |
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Total Assets at | |
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Rate of Compensation to |
Fund |
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June 30, 2005 | |
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Gladstone Management Corporation |
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(Unaudited) | |
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Administrations overhead, including rent, and its
allocable portion of the costs of Gladstone Investments
chief compliance officer, chief financial officer and controller
and their respective staffs. |
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During the period from June 22, 2005 (the effective date of
the advisory agreement) through June 30, 2005, Gladstone
Investment made no payments to the Adviser and payments of
$27,082 to Gladstone Administration for administrative services. |
Recommendation of the Board of Directors
The Board recommends that stockholders vote FOR
Proposal One.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
Management
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the
ownership of the Companys common stock as of
September 30, 2005 by: (i) all executive officers and
directors of the Company as a group; and (ii) all those
known by the Company to be beneficial owners of more than five
percent of its common stock. Except as otherwise noted, the
address of the individuals below is c/o Gladstone Capital
Corporation, 1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 200, McLean, VA
22102.
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Beneficial Ownership(1) |
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Number of |
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Percent of |
Name and Address |
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Shares |
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Total |
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Compensated Persons and Directors:
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David Gladstone(2)
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1,027,194 |
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8.77 |
% |
Terry Lee Brubaker(3)
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255,376 |
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2.23 |
% |
George Stelljes III(4)
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176,300 |
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1.54 |
% |
Anthony W. Parker(5)
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38,560 |
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* |
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David A.R. Dullum(5)
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37,000 |
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* |
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Michela A. English(6)
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26,000 |
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* |
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Paul Adelgren(7)
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15,500 |
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* |
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Maurice Coulon(8)
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15,000 |
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* |
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John H. Outland(9)
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10,000 |
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* |
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All executive officers and directors as a group (10 persons)(10)
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1,661,430 |
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13.62 |
% |
Other Stockholders:
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Persons associated with
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Barclays Global Investors, NA(11)
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639,113 |
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5.66 |
% |
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45 Fremont Street
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San Francisco, CA 94105
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A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc.(12)
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621,852 |
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5.50 |
% |
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One North Jefferson Ave.
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St. Louis, MO 63103
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(1) |
This table is based upon information supplied by officers,
directors and principal stockholders. Unless otherwise indicated
in the footnotes to this table and subject to community property
laws where applicable, the Company believes that each of the
stockholders named in this table has sole voting and sole
investment power with respect to the shares indicated as
beneficially owned. Applicable percentages are based on
11,303,510 shares outstanding on September 30, 2005,
adjusted as required by rules promulgated by the SEC. |
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(2) |
Includes 406,666 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(3) |
Includes 129,166 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(4) |
Includes 172,500 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(5) |
Includes 35,000 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(6) |
Includes 25,000 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(7) |
Includes 15,000 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(8) |
Includes 15,000 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(9) |
Includes 10,000 shares underlying options that are
exercisable within 60 days of September 30, 2005. |
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(10) |
Includes an aggregate of 893,332 shares underlying options
that are exercisable within 60 days of September 30,
2005. |
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(11) |
This information has been obtained from a Schedule 13G
filed by Barclays Global Investors, NA (Barclays),
Barclays Global Fund Advisors, Barclays Global Investors,
Ltd., Barclays Global Investors Japan Trust and Banking Company
Limited, Barclays Life Assurance Company Limited, Barclays Bank
PLC, Barclays Capital Securities Limited, Barclays Capital Inc.,
Barclays Private Bank & Trust (Isle of Man) Limited,
Barclays Private Bank and Trust (Jersey) Limited, Barclays Bank
and Trust Company Limited, Barclays Bank (Suisse) SA, Barclays
Private Bank Limited, Bronco (Barclays Cayman) Limited, Palomino
Limited, and HYMF Limited with the SEC on February 14,
2005. According to the Schedule 13G, Barclays Global
Investors, NA had sole voting power with respect to 435,940 and
sole investment power with respect to 529,508 shares, and
Barclays Global Fund Advisors had sole voting and
investment power with respect to 109,605 shares. |
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(12) |
This information has been obtained from a Schedule 13G
filed by A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. (A.G.
Edwards) with the SEC on February 14, 2005. According
to the Schedule 13G, A.G. Edwards had sole voting and
investment power with respect to all 621,852 shares
reported as beneficially owned. |
Stockholder Proposals and Stockholder Communications with the
Board of Directors
The deadline for submitting a stockholder proposal for inclusion
in the Companys proxy statement and form of proxy for the
Companys 2006 annual meeting of stockholders pursuant to
Rule 14a-8 of the SEC was September 7, 2005.
Stockholders wishing to submit proposals or director nominations
that are not to be included in such proxy statement and proxy
must deliver notice to the Secretary at the principal executive
offices of the Company not later than the close of business on
December 7, 2005 nor earlier than the close of business on
November 7, 2005. Stockholders are also advised to review
the Companys Bylaws, which contain additional requirements
with respect to advance notice of stockholder proposals and
director nominations.
HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS
The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and
intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery
requirements for proxy statements and annual reports with
respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by
delivering a single proxy statement addressed to those
stockholders. This
21
process, which is commonly referred to as
householding, potentially means extra convenience
for stockholders and cost savings for companies.
A number of brokers with account holders who are stockholders of
the Company are householding the Companys
proxy materials. A single proxy statement will be delivered to
multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary
instructions have been received from the affected stockholders.
Once you have received notice from your broker that it will be
householding communications to your address,
householding will continue until you are notified
otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you
no longer wish to participate in householding and
would prefer to receive a separate proxy statement and annual
report, please notify your broker, direct your written request
to Kelly Sargent, investor relations manager, at the address set
forth on the cover page of this proxy statement or contact
Ms. Sargent at (703) 287-5835. Stockholders who
currently receive multiple copies of the proxy statement at
their address and would like to request householding
of their communications should contact their broker.
OTHER MATTERS
The board of directors knows of no other matters that will be
presented for consideration at Special Meeting. If any other
matters are properly brought before the meeting, it is the
intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote
on such matters in accordance with their best judgment.
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By Order of the Board of Directors |
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/s/ TERRY BRUBAKER |
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Terry Brubaker |
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Secretary |
October 21, 2005
A copy of the Companys Annual Report to the Securities
and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2004 is available without charge upon
written request to our Investor Relations Manager, Kelly
Sargent, at the following address: Gladstone Capital
Corporation, 1521 Westbranch Drive, Suite 200, McLean,
Virginia 22102. You may also request a copy free of charge by
calling our toll-free Investor Relations line at
1-866-366-5745.
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APPENDIX A
AMENDED AND RESTATED
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
AND
GLADSTONE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION
Agreement made this day
of 2006,
by and between Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Maryland
corporation (the Fund), and
Gladstone Management Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(the Adviser).
Whereas, the Fund is a closed-end management investment
company that has elected to be treated as a business development
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
Investment Company Act);
Whereas, the Adviser is an investment adviser that has
registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the
Advisers Act); and
Whereas, the Fund desires to retain the Adviser to
furnish investment advisory services to the Fund 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:
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1. |
Duties of the Adviser. |
(a) The Fund hereby employs the Adviser to act as the
investment adviser to the Fund and to manage the investment and
reinvestment of the assets of the Fund, subject to the
supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund, for the
period and upon the terms herein set forth, (i) in
accordance with the investment objective, policies and
restrictions that are set forth in the Funds Registration
Statement on Form N-2, as the same shall be amended from
time to time (as amended, the Registration
Statement), (ii) in accordance with the
Investment Company Act and (iii) during the term of this
Agreement in accordance with all other applicable federal and
state laws, rules and regulations, and the Funds charter
and by-laws. 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 of the
portfolio of the Fund, 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 Fund; (iii) close and monitor the
Funds investments; (iv) determine the securities and
other assets that the Fund will purchase, retain, or sell;
(v) perform due diligence on prospective portfolio
companies; and (vi) provide the Fund with such other
investment advisory, research and related services as the Fund
may, from time to time, reasonably require for the investment of
its funds. The Adviser shall have the discretion, power and
authority on behalf of the Fund to effectuate its investment
decisions for the Fund, including the execution and delivery of
all documents relating to the Funds investments and the
placing of orders for other purchase or sale transactions on
behalf of the Fund. In the event that the Fund determines to
acquire debt financing, the Adviser will arrange for such
financing on the Funds behalf, subject to the oversight
and approval of the Funds Board of Directors. If it is
necessary for the Adviser to make investments on behalf of the
Fund through a special purpose vehicle, the Adviser shall have
authority to create or arrange for the creation of such special
purpose vehicle and to make such investments through such
special purpose vehicle in accordance with the Investment
Company Act.
(b) The Adviser hereby accepts such employment and agrees
during the term hereof to render the services described herein
for the compensation provided herein.
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(c) Subject to the requirements of the Investment Company
Act, 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
Funds investment objective and policies, and work, along
with the Adviser, in structuring, negotiating, arranging or
effecting the acquisition or disposition of such investments and
monitoring investments on behalf of the Fund, subject to the
oversight of the Adviser and the Fund. The Adviser, and not the
Fund, shall be responsible for any compensation payable to any
Sub-Adviser. Any sub-advisory agreement entered into by the
Adviser shall be in accordance with the requirements of the
Investment Company Act and other applicable federal and state
law and shall contain a provision requiring the Sub-Adviser to
comply with sections 1(e) and 1(f) below as if it were the
Adviser.
(d) 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 Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an
agent of the Fund.
(e) 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 Fund and shall specifically maintain all books and records
with respect to the Funds portfolio transactions and shall
render to the Funds Board of Directors such periodic and
special reports as the Board may reasonably request. The Adviser
agrees that all records that it maintains for the Fund are the
property of the Fund and will surrender promptly to the Fund any
such records upon the Funds request, provided that the
Adviser may retain a copy of such records.
(f) The Adviser has adopted and implemented written
policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation
of the Federal Securities laws by the Adviser. The Adviser has
provided the Fund, and shall provide the Fund at such times in
the future as the Fund shall reasonably request, with a copy of
such policies and procedures and a report of such policies and
procedures. Such report shall be of sufficient scope and in
sufficient detail, as may reasonably be required to comply with
Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act and to provide
reasonable assurance that any material inadequacies would be
disclosed by such examination, and, if there are no such
inadequacies, the report shall so state.
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2. |
Funds Responsibilities and Expenses Payable by the
Fund. |
All investment professionals of the Adviser and their respective
staffs, when and to the extent engaged in providing investment
advisory and management services hereunder, and the compensation
and routine overhead expenses of such personnel allocable to
such services, will be provided and paid for by the Adviser and
not by the Fund. The Fund will bear all other costs and expenses
of its operations and transactions, including (without
limitation) those relating to: organization and offering;
calculating the Funds net asset value (including the cost
and expenses of any independent valuation firm); expenses
incurred by the Adviser payable to third parties, including
agents, consultants or other advisors (such as independent
valuation firms, accountants and legal counsel), in monitoring
financial and legal affairs for the Fund and in monitoring the
Funds investments and performing due diligence on its
prospective portfolio companies; interest payable on debt, if
any, incurred to finance the Funds investments; offerings
of the Funds common stock and other securities; investment
advisory and management fees; administration fees, if any,
payable under the Administration Agreement between the Fund and
Gladstone Administration, LLC (the
Administrator), the Funds
administrator; fees payable to third parties (including agents,
consultants or other advisors) relating to, or associated with,
evaluating and making investments; transfer agent and custodial
fees; federal and state registration fees; all costs of
registration and listing the Funds shares on any
securities exchange; federal, state and local taxes; independent
Directors fees and expenses; costs of preparing and filing
reports or other documents required by the Securities and
Exchange Commission; costs of any reports, proxy statements or
other notices to stockholders, including printing costs; the
Funds allocable portion of the fidelity bond, directors
and officers/errors and omissions liability insurance, and any
other insurance premiums; direct costs and
A-2
expenses of administration, including printing, mailing, long
distance telephone, copying, secretarial and other staff,
independent auditors and outside legal costs; and all other
expenses incurred by the Fund or the Administrator in connection
with administering the Funds business, including payments
under the Administration Agreement between the Fund and the
Administrator based upon the Funds allocable portion of
the Administrators overhead in performing its obligations
under the Administration Agreement, including rent and the
allocable portion of the cost of the Funds chief
compliance officer, chief financial officer, controller and
their respective staffs.
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3. |
Compensation of the Adviser. |
The Fund 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 Fund shall make
any payments due hereunder to the Adviser or to the
Advisers designee as the Adviser may otherwise direct.
(a) Base Management Fee.
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(i) The Base Management Fee shall be payable quarterly in
arrears, and shall be calculated at an annual rate of 2.00% of
the average value of the Funds total assets, including
investments made with proceeds of borrowings, less any
uninvested cash or cash equivalents resulting from borrowings
(the Gross Assets), valued as of the
end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters, and
appropriately adjusted for any share issuances or repurchases
during the current calendar quarter. |
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(ii) Base Management Fees payable for any partial month or
quarter will be appropriately prorated. |
(b) The Incentive Fee shall consist of two parts, as
follows:
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(i) One part will be calculated and payable quarterly in
arrears based on the pre-Incentive Fee net investment income for
the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For this purpose,
pre-Incentive Fee net investment income means interest income,
dividend income and any other income (including any other fees,
such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence,
consulting fees that the Fund receives from portfolio companies,
but excluding fees for providing managerial assistance) accrued
by the Fund during the calendar quarter, minus the Funds
operating expenses for the quarter (including the Base
Management Fee, less any rebate of other fees received by the
Adviser), 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 Fund 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 Funds net assets
at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, will
be compared to a hurdle rate of 1.75% per
quarter (7% annualized). The Fund will pay the Adviser an
Incentive Fee with respect to the Funds pre-Incentive Fee
net investment income in each calendar quarter as follows:
(1) no Incentive Fee in any calendar quarter in which the
Funds pre-Incentive Fee net investment income does not
exceed the hurdle rate; (2) 100% of the Funds
pre-Incentive Fee net investment income with respect to that
portion of such pre-Incentive Fee net investment income, if any,
that exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than 2.1875% in any
calendar quarter (8.75% annualized); and (3) 20% of the
amount of the Funds pre-Incentive Fee net investment
income, if any, that exceeds 2.1875% in any calendar quarter
(8.75% annualized). These calculations will be appropriately pro
rated for any period of less than three months and adjusted for
any share issuances or repurchases during the current quarter. |
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(ii) The second part of the Incentive Fee (the
Capital Gains Fee) will be determined
and payable in arrears as of the end of each fiscal year (or
upon termination of this Agreement as set |
A-3
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forth below), commencing
on ,
2006, and will equal 20.0% of the Funds realized capital
gains, if any, computed net of all realized capital losses and
unrealized capital depreciation at the end of such year. The
amount of capital gains used to determine the Capital Gains Fee
shall be calculated at the end of each applicable year by
subtracting the sum of the Funds Cumulative Aggregate
Realized Capital Losses and Aggregate Unrealized Capital
Depreciation from the Funds Cumulative Aggregate Realized
Capital Gains (each as defined in Section 3(b)(iii) below).
If this number is positive at the end of such year, then the
Capital Gains Fee for such year will be equal to 20.0% of such
amount, less the aggregate amount of any Capital Gains Fees paid
in all prior years. In the event that this Agreement shall
terminate as of a date that is not a fiscal year end, the
termination date shall be treated as though it were a fiscal
year end for purposes of calculating and paying a Capital Gains
Fee. |
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(iii) For purposes of this Section 3: |
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(1) Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Gains shall mean the sum of the differences
between the net sales price of each investment in the
Funds portfolio when sold, and the original cost of such
investment since inception of the Fund. |
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(2) Cumulative Aggregate Realized Capital
Losses shall mean the sum of the amounts by which
the net sales price of each investment in the Funds
portfolio when sold is less than the original cost of such
investment since inception of the Fund. |
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(3) Aggregate Unrealized Capital
Depreciation shall mean the sum of the difference,
if negative, between the valuation of each investment in the
Funds portfolio as of the applicable Capital Gains Fee
calculation date and the original cost of such investment. |
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4. |
Covenants of the Adviser. |
The Adviser covenants that it is registered as an investment
adviser under the Advisers Act. 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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5. |
Excess Brokerage Commissions. |
The Adviser is hereby authorized, to the fullest extent now or
hereafter permitted by law, to cause the Fund 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 firms 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
Funds portfolio, and constitutes the best net results for
the Fund.
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6. |
Limitations on the Employment of the Adviser. |
The services of the Adviser to the Fund 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 Fund, so long as its services to the Fund hereunder
are not impaired thereby, and nothing in this Agreement shall
limit or restrict the right of any manager, partner, 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 Funds portfolio
companies, subject to applicable law). So long
A-4
as this Agreement or any extension, renewal or amendment remains
in effect, the Adviser shall be the only investment adviser for
the Fund, subject to the Advisers right to enter into
sub-advisory agreements. 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 Fund 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 Fund as stockholders or otherwise.
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7. |
Responsibility of Dual Directors, Officers or Employees. |
If any person who is a manager, partner, officer or employee of
the Adviser or the Administrator is or becomes a director,
officer or employee of the Fund and acts as such in any business
of the Fund, then such manager, partner, officer and/or employee
of the Adviser or the Administrator shall be deemed to be acting
in such capacity solely for the Fund, and not as a manager,
partner, officer or employee of the Adviser or the Administrator
or under the control or direction of the Adviser or the
Administrator, even if paid by the Adviser or the Administrator.
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8. |
Limitation of Liability of the Adviser: Indemnification. |
The Adviser (and its officers, managers, partners, agents,
employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or
entity affiliated with the Adviser, including without limitation
the Administrator) shall not be liable to the Fund 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 adviser of the
Fund, 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 Fund shall indemnify, defend
and protect the Adviser (and its officers, managers, partners,
agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other
person or entity affiliated with the Adviser, including without
limitation its general partner and the Administrator, 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 Fund or its security holders) arising
out of or otherwise based upon the performance of any of the
Advisers duties or obligations under this Agreement or
otherwise as an investment adviser of the Fund. Notwithstanding
the preceding sentence of this Paragraph 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 Fund or its security holders to which
the Indemnified Parties would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of the Advisers duties or by reason of the
reckless disregard of the Advisers duties and obligations
under this Agreement (as the same shall be determined in
accordance with the Investment Company Act and any
interpretations or guidance by the Securities and Exchange
Commission or its staff thereunder).
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9. |
Effectiveness, Duration and Termination of Agreement. |
This Agreement shall become effective as of the first date above
written. This Agreement shall remain in effect for one year, and
thereafter shall continue automatically for successive annual
periods, provided that such continuance is specifically approved
at least annually by (a) the vote of the Funds Board
of Directors, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund and (b) the vote of a
majority of the Funds 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. This Agreement may be
A-5
terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, upon
60 days written notice, by the vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by the vote of
the Funds Directors or by the Adviser. This Agreement will
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 Paragraph 8 of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect, and the Adviser and its representatives
shall remain entitled to the benefits thereof, notwithstanding
any termination or expiration of this Agreement. Further,
notwithstanding the termination or expiration of this Agreement
as aforesaid, the Adviser shall be entitled to any amounts owed
under Section 3 through the date of termination or
expiration.
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.
This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent, but the consent
of the Fund must be obtained in conformity with the requirements
of the Investment Company Act.
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12. |
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. This Agreement shall
be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware and the applicable provisions of the Investment Company
Act. To the extent the applicable laws of the State of Delaware
or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the provisions of
the Investment Company Act, the latter shall control.
[The remainder of this page intentionally left blank]
A-6
In Witness Whereof, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed on the date above written.
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Gladstone Capital Corporation |
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Chip Stelljes |
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President |
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Gladstone Management Corporation |
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David Gladstone |
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Chief Executive Officer |
A-7
APPENDIX B
ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
This Administration
Agreement (this Agreement) is made as
of ,
2005 by and between Gladstone Capital Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (hereinafter referred to as the
Fund), and Gladstone Administration, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (hereinafter referred to as
the Administrator).
The Fund is a closed-end management investment company that has
elected to be treated as a business development company under
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (hereinafter referred to as
the Investment Company Act). The Fund desires
to retain the Administrator to provide administrative services
to the Fund in the manner and on the terms hereinafter set
forth. The Funds investment adviser is the
Administrators sole member. The Administrator is willing
to provide administrative services to the Fund on the terms and
conditions hereafter set forth.
Now, Therefore, in
consideration of the premises and the covenants hereinafter
contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the Fund
and the Administrator hereby agree as set forth below:
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1. |
Duties of the
Administrator. |
(a) Employment of Administrator. The Fund hereby employs
the Administrator to act as administrator of the Fund, and to
furnish, or arrange for others to furnish, the administrative
services, personnel and facilities described below, subject to
review by and the overall control of the Board of Directors of
the Fund, for the period and on the terms and conditions set
forth in this Agreement. The Administrator hereby accepts such
employment and agrees during such period to render, or arrange
for the rendering of, such services and to assume the
obligations herein set forth subject to the reimbursement of
costs and expenses provided for below. The Administrator and
such others shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be
independent contractors and shall, unless otherwise expressly
provided or authorized herein, have no authority to act for or
represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed agents of
the Fund.
(b) Services. The Administrator shall perform (or oversee,
or arrange for, the performance of) the administrative services
necessary for the operation of the Fund. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Administrator shall provide the
Fund with office facilities, equipment, clerical, bookkeeping
and record keeping services at such facilities and such other
services as the Administrator, subject to review by the Board of
Directors of the Fund, shall from time to time determine to be
necessary or useful to perform its obligations under this
Agreement. The Administrator shall also, on behalf of the Fund,
conduct relations with custodians, depositories, transfer
agents, dividend disbursing agents, other stockholder servicing
agents, accountants, attorneys, underwriters, brokers and
dealers, corporate fiduciaries, insurers, banks and such other
persons in any such other capacity deemed to be necessary or
desirable. The Administrator shall make reports to the
Funds Board of Directors of its performance of obligations
hereunder and furnish advice and recommendations with respect to
such other aspects of the business and affairs of the Fund as it
shall determine to be desirable; provided that nothing herein
shall be construed to require the Administrator to, and the
Administrator shall not, provide any advice or recommendation
relating to the securities and other assets that the Fund should
purchase, retain or sell or any other investment advisory
services to the Fund. The Administrator shall be responsible for
the financial and other records that the Fund is required to
maintain and shall prepare reports to stockholders, and reports
and other materials filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the SEC). The Administrator will
provide on the Funds behalf significant managerial
assistance to those portfolio companies to which the Fund is
required to provide such assistance under the Investment Company
Act or
B-1
other applicable law. In addition, the Administrator will assist
the Fund in determining and publishing the Funds net asset
value, overseeing the preparation and filing of the Funds
tax returns, and the printing and dissemination of reports to
stockholders of the Fund, and generally overseeing the payment
of the Funds expenses and the performance of
administrative and professional services rendered to the Fund by
others.
(c) The Administrator is hereby authorized to enter into
one or more sub-administration agreements with other service
providers (each a Sub-Administrator) pursuant
to which the Administrator may obtain the services of the
service providers in fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder.
Any such sub-administration agreements shall be in accordance
with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and other
applicable federal and state law and shall contain a provision
requiring the Sub-Administrator to comply with Sections 2
and 3 below as if it were the Administrator.
The Administrator agrees to maintain and keep all books,
accounts and other records of the Fund that relate to activities
performed by the administrator hereunder and, if required by the
Investment Company Act, will maintain and keep such books,
accounts and records in accordance with that Act. In compliance
with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the Investment
Company Act, the Administrator agrees that all records which it
maintains for the Fund shall at all times remain the property of
the Fund, shall be readily accessible during normal business
hours, and shall be promptly surrendered upon the termination of
the Agreement or otherwise on written request. The Administrator
further agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund
pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the Investment Company Act
will be preserved for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2
under the Investment Company Act unless any such records are
earlier surrendered as provided above. Records shall be
surrendered in usable machine-readable form. The Administrator
shall have the right to retain copies of such records subject to
observance of its confidentiality obligations under this
Agreement.
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3. |
Policies and
Procedures. |
The Administrator has adopted and implemented written policies
and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation of the
Federal Securities laws by the Administrator.
The Administrator shall provide the Fund, at such times as the
Fund shall reasonably request, with a copy of such policies and
procedures and a report of such policies and procedures; such
report shall be of sufficient scope and in sufficient detail, as
may reasonably be required to comply with Rule 38a-1 under
the Investment Company Act and to provide reasonable assurance
that any material inadequacies would be disclosed by such
examination, and, if there are no such inadequacies, the report
shall so state.
The parties hereto agree that each shall treat confidentially
the terms and conditions of this Agreement and all information
provided by each party to the other regarding its business and
operations. All confidential information provided by a party
hereto, including nonpublic personal information pursuant to
Regulation S-P of the Securities & Exchange
Commission (SEC), shall be used by any other
party hereto solely for the purpose of rendering services
pursuant to this Agreement and, except as may be required in
carrying out this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any third
party, without the prior consent of such providing party. The
foregoing shall not be applicable to any information that is
publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly
available other than through a breach of this Agreement, or that
is required to be disclosed by any regulatory authority, any
authority or legal counsel of the parties hereto, by judicial or
administrative process or otherwise by applicable law or
regulation.
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5. |
Compensation:
Allocation of Costs and Expenses. |
In full consideration of the provision of the services of the
Administrator, the Fund shall reimburse the Administrator for
the costs and expenses incurred by the Administrator in
performing its obligations and providing personnel and
facilities hereunder.
B-2
The Fund will bear all costs and expenses that are incurred in
its operations and transactions that are not specifically
assumed by the Funds investment adviser (the
Adviser) pursuant to that certain Investment
Advisory and Management Agreement, dated as
of ,
2006 by and between the Fund and the Adviser. Costs and expenses
to be borne by the Fund include, but are not limited to, those
relating to: organization and offering; calculating the
Funds net asset value (including the cost and expenses of
any independent valuation firm); expenses incurred by the
Adviser payable to third parties, including agents, consultants
or other advisors (such as independent valuation firms,
accountants and legal counsel), in monitoring financial and
legal affairs for the Fund and in monitoring the Funds
investments and performing due diligence on its prospective
portfolio companies; interest payable on debt, if any, incurred
to finance the Funds investments; offerings of the
Funds common stock and other securities; investment
advisory and management fees; administration fees, if any,
payable under this Agreement; fees payable to third parties,
including agents, consultants or other advisors, relating to, or
associated with, evaluating and making investments; transfer
agent and custodial fees; federal and state registration fees;
all costs of registration and listing the Funds shares on
any securities exchange; federal, state and local taxes;
independent directors fees and expenses; costs of
preparing and filing reports or other documents required by the
SEC; costs of any reports, proxy statements or other notices to
stockholders, including printing costs; the Funds
allocable portion of the fidelity bond, directors and officers
errors and omissions liability insurance, and any other
insurance premiums; direct costs and expenses of administration,
including printing, mailing, long distance telephone, copying,
secretarial and other staff, independent auditors and outside
legal costs; and all other expenses incurred by the Fund or the
Administrator in connection with administering the Funds
business, including payments under this Agreement based upon the
Funds allocable portion of the Administrators
overhead in performing its obligations under this Agreement,
including rent, and the allocable portion of the salaries and
benefits expenses of the Funds chief compliance officer,
chief financial officer, controller and their respective staffs.
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6. |
Limitation of Liability
of the Administrator: Indemnification. |
The Administrator (and its officers, managers, partners, agents,
employees, controlling persons, members, and any other person or
entity affiliated with the Administrator, including without
limitation its sole member, the Adviser) shall not be liable to
the Fund for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the
Administrator in connection with the performance of any of its
duties or obligations under this Agreement or otherwise as
administrator for the Fund, and the Fund shall indemnify, defend
and protect the Administrator (and its officers, managers,
partners, agents, employees, controlling persons, members, and
any other person or entity affiliated with the Administrator,
including without limitation 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 Fund or its security
holders) arising out of or otherwise based upon the performance
of any of the Administrators duties or obligations under
this Agreement or otherwise as administrator for the Fund.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence of this Paragraph 6
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 Fund or its security holders
to which the Indemnified Parties would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the
performance of the Administrators duties or by reason of
the reckless disregard of the Administrators 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).
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7. |
Activities of the
Administrator. |
The services of the Administrator to the Fund are not to be
deemed to be exclusive and the Administrator and each affiliate
are free to render services to others. It is understood that
directors, officers, employees and stockholders of the Fund are
or may become interested in the Administrator and
B-3
its affiliates, as directors, officers, members, managers,
employees, partners, stockholders or otherwise, and that the
Administrator and directors, officers, members, managers,
employees, partners and stockholders of the Administrator and
its affiliates are or may become similarly interested in the
Fund as stockholders or otherwise.
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8. |
Duration and
Termination of this Agreement. |
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date hereof, and
shall remain in force with respect to the Fund for one year
thereafter, and thereafter continue from year to year, but only
so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually by (i) the Board of Directors of the Fund and
(ii) a majority of those Directors who are not parties to
this Agreement or interested persons (as defined in
the Investment Company Act) of any such party. This Agreement
may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any
penalty, by vote of the Directors of the Fund, or by the
Administrator, upon 60 days written notice to the
other party. This Agreement may not be assigned by a party
without the consent of the other party.
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9. |
Amendments of this
Agreement. |
This Agreement may be amended pursuant to a written instrument
by mutual consent of the parties.
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with laws of the
State of Delaware and the applicable provisions of the
Investment Company Act, if any. To the extent that the
applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the
provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of
the Investment Company Act, if any, the latter shall control.
This Agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties and
supersedes all prior agreements, understandings and arrangements
with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
B-4
In Witness Whereof,
the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement as
of the date first above written.
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Gladstone Capital
Corporation
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Chip Stelljes, President |
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Gladstone Administration,
LLC
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David Gladstone, Chairman of the |
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Managing Member |
B-5
GLADSTONE
CAPITAL CORPORATION
PROXY SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 2, 2005
The undersigned hereby appoints David Gladstone and Terry Brubaker, and each of them acting
individually, as attorneys and proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to vote
all of the shares of stock of Gladstone Capital Corporation which the undersigned may be entitled
to vote at the Special Meeting of Stockholders of Gladstone Capital Corporation to be held at the
Courtyard by Marriott Tysons Corner, 1960-A Chain Bridge Road, McLean,
VA 22102, on Friday, December 2, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. (local time), and at any and all postponements, continuations and
adjournments thereof, with all powers that the undersigned would possess if personally present,
upon and in respect of the following matters and in accordance with the following instructions,
with discretionary authority as to any and all other matters that may properly come before the
meeting.
Unless a contrary direction is indicated, this proxy will be voted in favor of Proposal 1, as
more specifically described in the proxy statement. If specific instructions are indicated, this
proxy will be voted in accordance therewith.
(Continued and to be signed on reverse side)
GLADSTONE CAPITAL CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 11046
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10203-0046
To change your address, please mark this box o
ê
DETACH PROXY CARD HERE ê
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Please vote, date and promptly return this |
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proxy in the enclosed return envelope which is |
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postage prepaid if mailed in the United States.
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x |
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Votes must be |
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indicated (x) in |
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Black or Blue ink. |
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL 1.
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FOR |
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AGAINST |
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ABSTAIN |
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Proposal 1:
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To approve an amended and restated investment advisory agreement
between the Company and Gladstone Management Corporation as described
in the proxy statement.
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o
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Please sign exactly as your name or names appears
hereon. If the stock is registered in the name of two or
more persons, each should sign. Executor,
administrator, trustee, guardian and attorneys-in-fact
should add their titles. If signer is a corporation,
please give full corporate name and have a duly
authorized officer sign, stating title. If signer is a
partnership, please sing in partnership name by
authorized person.
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Date
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Share Owner sign here
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Co-Owner sign here |