As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 9, 2010
Securities Act File No. 333-148734
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-2
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
| Pre-Effective Amendment No. 9 | x | |||
| Post-Effective Amendment No. | ¨ |
SOLAR CAPITAL LTD.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)
500 Park Avenue, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including Area Code: (212) 993-1670
Michael S. Gross
Chief Executive Officer
Solar Capital Ltd.
500 Park Avenue, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(Name and address of agent for service)
COPIES TO:
| Steven B. Boehm | Sarah E. Cogan | |
| John J. Mahon |
Joseph H. Kaufman | |
| Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | |
| 1275 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW | 425 Lexington Avenue | |
| Washington, DC 20004 | New York, NY 10017 | |
| (202) 383-0100 | (212) 455-2000 |
Approximate date of proposed public offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. ¨
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
¨ when declared effective pursuant to Section 8(c).
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
| Title of Securities Being Registered | Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1) |
Amount of Registration Fee(1)(2) | ||
| Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share |
$300,000,000 | $11,790.00 | ||
| (1) | Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933 solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee. |
| (2) | Previously paid. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The purpose of this Amendment No. 9 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 is solely to file certain exhibits to the Registration Statement as set forth in Item 25(2) of Part C.
PART C — OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 25. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
1. Financial Statements
The following financial statements of Solar Capital LLC (together with Solar Capital Ltd., the “Registrant” or the “Company”) are included in Part A “Information Required to be in the Prospectus” of the Registration Statement.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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2. Exhibits
| Exhibit Number |
Description | |
| a. | Articles of Amendment and Restatement*** | |
| b. | Amended and Restated Bylaws*** | |
| d.1 | Form of Common Stock Certificate* | |
| d.2 | Form of Note Agreement for Senior Unsecured Notes* | |
| d.3 | Form of Senior Unsecured Notes* | |
| e. | Dividend Reinvestment Plan*** | |
| f.1 | Senior Secured Revolving Credit Agreement by and between the Registrant, the Lenders and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent, dated as of January 11, 2008** | |
| f.2 | Form of Amended and Restated Senior Secured Revolving Credit Agreement by and between the Registrant, the Lenders and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent* | |
| g. | Investment Advisory and Management Agreement by and between Registrant and Solar Capital Partners, LLC** | |
| h. | Form of Underwriting Agreement* | |
| j. | Form of Custodian Agreement* | |
| k.1 | Administration Agreement by and between Registrant and Solar Capital Management, LLC** | |
| k.2 | Form of Indemnification Agreement by and between Registrant and each of its directors*** | |
| k.3 | Registration Rights Agreement by and between Registrant, Solar Cayman Limited, Solar Offshore Limited, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and purchasers in the initial private placement** | |
| k.4 | First Amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement by and between Registrant, Solar Cayman Limited, Solar Offshore Limited, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and purchasers in the initial private placement*** | |
| k.5 | Registration Rights Agreement by and between Registrant, Magnetar Capital Fund, LP and Solar Offshore Limited** | |
| k.6 | Trademark License Agreement by and between Registrant and Solar Capital Partners, LLC*** | |
| k.7 | Form of Share Purchase Agreement by and between Registrant and Solar Capital Investors II, LLC* | |
| k.8 | Form of Agreement and Plan of Merger by and between Registrant and Solar Capital LLC* | |
| k.9 | Form of Unit Exchange Agreement by and between Registrant, Solar Cayman Limited, Solar Offshore Limited, Solar Domestic LLC, and Solar Capital Management, LLC* | |
| l. | Opinion of Venable LLP* | |
| n.1 | Consent of Venable LLP (Incorporated by reference to exhibit l hereto)* | |
| n.2 | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm**** | |
| n.3 | Awareness Letter of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm**** | |
| r. | Code of Ethics*** | |
| 99.1 | Code of Business Conduct*** | |
| * | Filed herewith. |
| ** | Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-148734) filed on January 18, 2008. |
| *** | Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Pre-Effective Amendment No. 7 (File No. 333-148734) filed on January 7, 2010. |
| **** | Previously filed in connection with Solar Capital Ltd.’s registration statement on Form N-2 Pre-Effective Amendment No. 8 (File No. 333-148734) filed on January 27, 2010. |
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ITEM 26. MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS
The information contained under the heading “Underwriting” on this Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 27. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
| SEC registration fee |
$ | 11,790 | |
| FINRA filing fee |
30,500 | ||
| NASDAQ Global Select Market |
5,000 | ||
| Printing and postage |
386,756 | ||
| Legal fees and expenses |
1,119,285 | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses |
320,391 | ||
| Miscellaneous |
70,000 | ||
| Total |
$ | 1,943,722 | |
| Note: | All listed amounts except for the SEC registration fee, the NASDAQ Global Select Market fee and the FINRA filing fee are estimates. |
ITEM 28. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL
Immediately prior to the pricing of this offering and completion of the Solar Capital Merger (as described in this Registration Statement), Solar Capital Management, LLC will own 100% of the outstanding common stock of Solar Capital Ltd. Following the completion of this offering, Solar Capital Management, LLC’s share ownership is expected to represent less than 1% of Solar Capital Ltd.’s outstanding common stock.
See “Management,” “Certain Relationships and Transactions” and “Control Persons and Principal Stockholders” in the Prospectus contained herein.
ITEM 29. NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
The following table sets forth the number of record holders of the Registrant’s common stock at February 8, 2010:
| Title of Class |
Number of Record Holders | |
| Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share |
1 |
ITEM 30. INDEMNIFICATION
Directors and Officers
Reference is made to Section 2-418 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, Article VII of the Registrant’s charter and Article XI of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Bylaws.
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. The Registrant’s charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
The Registrant’s charter authorizes the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as the Registrant’s director or officer and at the Registrant’s request, serves or has
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served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The Registrant’s bylaws obligate the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while serving as the Registrant’s director or officer and at the Registrant’s request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit the Registrant to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of the Registrant in any of the capacities described above and any of the Registrant’s employees or agents or any employees or agents of the Registrant’s predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Registrant will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which the Registrant’s charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received unless, in either case, a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer in advance of final disposition of a proceeding upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
Adviser and Administrator
The Investment Advisory and Management 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, Solar Capital Partners, LLC (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 the Registrant for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of the Adviser’s services under the Investment Advisory and Management Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of the Registrant.
The Administration 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, Solar Capital Management, LLC and its officers, managers, agents, employees, controlling persons, members and any other person or entity affiliated with it are entitled to indemnification from the Registrant for any damages, liabilities,
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costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of Solar Capital Management, LLC’s services under the Administration Agreement or otherwise as administrator for the Registrant.
The law also provides for comparable indemnification for corporate officers and agents. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors. The indemnification agreements are intended to provide the Registrant’s directors the maximum indemnification permitted under Maryland law and the 1940 Act. Each indemnification agreement provides that the Registrant shall indemnify the director who is a party to the agreement (an “Indemnitee”), including the advancement of legal expenses, if, by reason of his or her corporate status, the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be, made a party to or a witness in any threatened, pending, or completed proceeding, other than a proceeding by or in the right of the Registrant.
ITEM 31. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER
A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which the Adviser, and each managing director, director or executive officer of the Adviser, is or has been during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in Part A of this Registration Statement in the sections entitled “Management — Board of Directors,” “Investment Advisory and Management Agreement” and “Portfolio Management — Investment Personnel.” Additional information regarding the Adviser and its officers and directors is set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 801-68710), under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 32. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS
All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:
| (1) | the Registrant, Solar Capital Ltd., 500 Park Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10022; |
| (2) | the Transfer Agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 59 Maiden Lane, Plaza Level, New York, NY 10038; |
| (3) | the Custodian, The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, One Wall Street, New York, NY 10286; and |
| (4) | the Adviser, Solar Capital Partners, LLC, 500 Park Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10022. |
ITEM 33. MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Not applicable.
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ITEM 34. UNDERTAKINGS
(1) Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of the shares of common stock covered hereby until it amends its prospectus contained herein if (a) subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, its net asset value per share of common stock declines more than 10% from its net asset value per share of common stock as of the effective date of this Registration Statement, or (b) its net asset value per share of common stock increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus contained herein.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) Registrant undertakes that:
(a) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(b) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to a new registration statement relating to the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(6) Not applicable.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused Amendment No. 9 to this Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, in the State of New York, on the 9th day of February, 2010.
| SOLAR CAPITAL LTD. | ||
| By: | /s/ MICHAEL S. GROSS | |
| Michael S. Gross | ||
| Chief Executive Officer, President, Chairman of the Board and Director | ||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Amendment No. 9 to this Registration Statement on Form N-2 has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant, and in the capacities indicated, on the 9th day of February, 2010.
| Signature |
Title | |
| /s/ MICHAEL S. GROSS Michael S. Gross |
Chief Executive Officer, President, Chairman of the Board and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| * Steven Hochberg |
Director | |
| * David S. Wachter |
Director | |
| ** Leonard A. Potter |
Director | |
| ** Bruce Spohler |
Chief Operating Officer and Director | |
| /s/ NICHOLAS RADESCA Nicholas Radesca |
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) and Secretary | |
| * | Signed by Michael S. Gross pursuant to a power of attorney signed by each individual and filed with this registration statement on January 18, 2008. |
| ** | Signed by Michael S. Gross pursuant to a power of attorney signed by each individual and filed with this registration statement on January 7, 2010. |
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