INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT BETWEEN FIFTH STREET SENIOR FLOATING RATE CORP. AND FIFTH STREET MANAGEMENT LLC
Exhibit g
BETWEEN
AND
FIFTH STREET MANAGEMENT LLC
This Investment Advisory Agreement (this “Agreement”) made this 27th day of June, 2013, by and between FIFTH STREET SENIOR FLOATING RATE CORP., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and FIFTH STREET MANAGEMENT LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Adviser”).
WHEREAS, the Company is a newly organized closed-end management investment fund that intends to elect to be treated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to retain the Adviser to furnish investment advisory services to the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, and the Adviser wishes to be retained to provide such services;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Duties of the Adviser.
(a) The Company hereby employs the Adviser to act as the investment adviser to the Company and to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Company, subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors of the Company, (the “Board”) for the period and upon the terms herein set forth, (i) in accordance with the investment objective, policies and restrictions that are set forth in the reports and/or registration statements that the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) from time to time; (ii) during the term of this Agreement in accordance with all other applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and the Company's charter and by-laws; and (iii) in accordance with the Investment Company Act. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Adviser shall, during the term and subject to the provisions of this Agreement (A) determine the composition of the portfolio of the Company, the nature and timing of the changes therein and the manner of implementing such changes; (B) identify, evaluate and negotiate the structure of the investments made by the Company; (C) close, monitor and service the Company's investments; (D) determine the securities and other assets that the Company shall purchase, retain, or sell; (E) perform due diligence on prospective portfolio companies; and (F) provide the Company with such other investment advisory, research and related services as the Company may, from time to time, reasonably require for the investment of its funds. The Adviser shall have the power and authority on behalf of the Company to effectuate its investment decisions for the Company, including the execution and delivery of all documents relating to the Company's investments and the placing of orders for other purchase or sale transactions on behalf of the Company. In the event that the Company determines to obtain debt financing, the Adviser shall arrange for such financing on the Company's behalf, subject to the oversight and approval of the Company's Board.
(b) The Adviser hereby accepts such employment and agrees during the term hereof to render the services described herein for the compensation provided herein.
(c) The Adviser is hereby authorized to enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with other investment advisers (each, a “Sub-Adviser”) pursuant to which the Adviser may obtain the services of the Sub-Adviser(s) to assist the Adviser in fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder. Specifically, the Adviser may retain a Sub-Adviser to recommend specific securities or other investments based upon the Company's investment 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 Company, subject to the oversight of the Adviser and the Company. The Adviser and not the Company 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.
(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 Company in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Company.
(e) Subject to review by and the overall control of the Board of the Company, the Adviser shall keep and preserve for the period required by the Investment Company Act any books and records relevant to the provision of its investment advisory services to the Company and shall specifically maintain all books and records with respect to the Company's portfolio transactions and shall render to the Company's Board such periodic and special reports as the Board may reasonably request. The Adviser agrees that all records that it maintains for the Company are the property of the Company and shall surrender promptly to the Company any such records upon the Company's request, provided that the Adviser may retain a copy of such records.
2. Company's Responsibilities and Expenses Payable by the Company.
All personnel of the Adviser, when and to the extent engaged in providing investment advisory services hereunder, and the compensation and routine overhead expenses of such personnel allocable to such services, shall be provided and paid for by the Adviser and not by the Company. The Company shall bear all other costs and expenses of its operations and transactions, including (without limitation) fees and expenses relating to: offering expenses; the investigation and monitoring of the Company's investments; the cost of calculating the Company's net asset value; the cost of effecting sales and repurchases of shares of the Company's common stock and other securities; management and incentive fees payable pursuant to the investment advisory agreement; fees payable to third parties relating to, or associated with, making investments and valuing investments (including third-party valuation firms); interest payments and other costs related to borrowings; transfer agent and custodial fees; fees and expenses associated with marketing efforts (including attendance at investment conferences and similar events); federal and state registration fees; any exchange listing fees; federal, state and local taxes; independent directors' fees and expenses; brokerage commissions; costs of proxy statements, stockholders' reports and notices; costs of preparing government filings, including periodic and current reports with the SEC; fidelity bond, liability insurance and other insurance premiums; and printing, mailing, independent accountants and outside legal costs and all other direct expenses incurred by either FSC, Inc. or the Company in connection with administering the Company's business, including payments under the administration agreement dated as of June 27, 2013 (the “Administration Agreement”) that will be based upon the Company's allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by the Company's administrator, FSC, Inc., in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement and the compensation of the Company's chief financial officer and chief compliance officer, and their respective staffs.
3. Compensation of the Adviser.
The Company agrees to pay, and the Adviser agrees to accept, as compensation for the services provided by the Adviser hereunder, a base management fee (“Base Management Fee”) and an incentive fee (“Incentive Fee”) as hereinafter set forth. The Adviser may agree to temporarily or permanently waive, in whole or in part, the Base Management Fee and/or the Incentive Fee. See Appendix A for examples of how these fees are calculated.
(a) The Base Management Fee shall be calculated at an annual rate of 1.00% of the Company's gross assets, including any investments made with borrowings, but excluding any cash and cash equivalents. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “cash and cash equivalents” will have the meaning ascribed to it from time to time in the notes to the financial statements that the Company files with the SEC. The Base Management Fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears, and shall be calculated based on the average value of the Company's gross assets at the end of the two most recently completed quarters. The Base Management Fee for any partial month or quarter shall be appropriately prorated.
(b) The Incentive Fee shall consist of two parts, as follows:
(i) | The first part shall be calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on the Company's “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income'' for the immediately preceding quarter. For this purpose, ''Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income'' means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees (other than fees for providing managerial assistance), such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that the Company |
receives from portfolio companies) accrued during the quarter, minus the Company's operating expenses for the quarter (including the Base Management Fee, expenses payable under the Administration Agreement with FSC, Inc., and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the Incentive Fee). Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments with payment-in-kind interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that the Company has not yet received in cash. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company's net assets at the end of the immediately preceding quarter, shall be compared to a ''hurdle rate'' of 1.5% per quarter (6% annualized), subject to a ''catch-up'' provision measured as of the end of each quarter. The Company's net investment income used to calculate this part of the incentive fee is also included in the amount of the Company's gross assets used to calculate the 1% base management fee. The operation of the incentive fee with respect to the Company's Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for each quarter is as follows:
• | No incentive fee is payable to the Adviser in any quarter in which the Company's Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed the hurdle rate of 1.5% (the ''preferred return'' or ''hurdle''). |
• | 50% of the Company's 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 or equal to 2.5% in any quarter (10% annualized) is payable to the Adviser. This portion of the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (which exceeds the hurdle rate but is less than or equal to 2.5%) is referred to as the “catch-up.” The “catch-up” provision is intended to provide the Adviser with an incentive fee of 20% on all of the Company's Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income as if a hurdle rate did not apply when the Company's Pre- Incentive Fee Net Investment Income exceeds 2.5% in any quarter. |
• | 20% of the amount of the Company's Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income, if any, that exceeds 2.5% in any quarter (10% annualized) is payable to the Adviser once the hurdle is reached and the catch-up is achieved, (20% of all Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income thereafter is allocated to the Adviser). |
(ii) | The second part of the incentive fee shall be determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each fiscal year (or upon termination of the investment advisory agreement, as of the termination date), commencing on September 30, 2013 and shall equal 20% of the Company's realized capital gains, if any, on a cumulative basis from inception through the end of each fiscal year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital gain incentive fees. |
4. Covenants of the Adviser.
The Adviser covenants that it will maintain its registration 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.
5. Brokerage Commissions.
The Adviser is hereby authorized, to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law, to cause the Company to pay a member of a national securities exchange, broker or dealer an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of commission another member of such exchange, broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Adviser determines in good faith, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, and operational facilities of the firm and the firm's risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities, that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such member, broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or its overall responsibilities with respect to the Company's portfolio, and constitutes the best net results for the Company.
6. Other Activities of the Adviser.
The services of the Adviser to the Company are not exclusive, and the Adviser may engage in any other business or render similar or different services to others including, without limitation, the direct or indirect sponsorship or management of other investment based accounts or commingled pools of capital, however structured, having investment objectives similar to those of the Company, so long as its services to the Company hereunder are not impaired thereby, and nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the right of any manager, partner, member (including its members and the owners of its members), officer or employee of the Adviser to engage in any other business or to devote his or her time and attention in part to any other business, whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, or to receive any fees or compensation in connection therewith (including fees for serving as a director of, or providing consulting services to, one or more of the Company's portfolio companies, subject to applicable law). So long as this Agreement or any extension, renewal or amendment remains in effect, the Adviser shall be the only investment adviser for the Company, subject to the Adviser's 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 Company are or may become interested in the Adviser and its affiliates, as directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members, managers or otherwise, and that the Adviser and directors, officers, employees, partners, stockholders, members and managers of the Adviser and its affiliates are or may become similarly interested in the Company as stockholders or otherwise.
7. Responsibility of Dual Directors, Officers and/or Employees.
If any person who is a manager, partner, member, officer or employee of the Adviser is or becomes a director, officer and/or employee of the Company and acts as such in any business of the Company, then such manager, partner, member, officer and/or employee of the Adviser shall be deemed to be acting in such capacity solely for the Company, and not as a manager, partner, member, officer or employee of the Adviser or under the control or direction of the Adviser, even if paid by the Adviser.
8. Limitation of Liability of the Adviser; Indemnification.
The Adviser (and its officers, managers, partners, members (and their members, including the owners of their members), agents, employees, controlling persons and any other person or entity affiliated with the Adviser) shall not be liable to the Company for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Adviser in connection with the performance of any of its duties or obligations under this Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of the Company (except to the extent specified in Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act concerning loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty (as the same is finally determined by judicial proceedings) with respect to the receipt of compensation for services, and the Company shall indemnify, defend and protect the Adviser (and its officers, managers, partners, members (and their members, including the owners of their members), agents, employees, controlling persons and any other person or entity affiliated with the Adviser, each of whom shall be deemed a third party beneficiary hereof) (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) and hold them harmless from and against all damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) incurred by the Indemnified Parties in or by reason of any pending, threatened or completed action, suit, investigation or other proceeding (including an action or suit by or in the right of the Company or its security holders) arising out of or otherwise based upon the performance of any of the Adviser's duties or obligations under this Agreement or otherwise as an investment adviser of the Company. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence of this Section 8 to the contrary, nothing contained herein shall protect or be deemed to protect the Indemnified Parties against or entitle or be deemed to entitle the Indemnified Parties to indemnification in respect of, any liability to the Company 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 Adviser's duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of the Adviser's duties and obligations under this Agreement.
9. Effectiveness, Duration and Termination of Agreement.
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date above written. This Agreement shall remain in effect for two years from the date hereof, 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 Company's Board, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company and (b) the vote of a majority of the Company's directors who are not parties to this Agreement or “interested persons” (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act) of any such party, in accordance with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and each of whom is an “independent director” under applicable New York Stock Exchange listing standards. This Agreement may be 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 Company, or by the vote of the Company's directors or by the Adviser. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as such term is defined for purposes of Section 15(a)(4) of the Investment Company Act). The
provisions of Paragraph 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and the Adviser shall remain entitled to the benefits thereof, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement.
10. Notices.
Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing, addressed and delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party at its principal office.
11. Amendments.
This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent.
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. Notwithstanding the place where this Agreement may be executed by any of the parties hereto, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. For so long as the Company is regulated as a BDC under the Investment Company Act, this Agreement shall also be construed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. In such case, to the extent the applicable laws of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, the latter shall control. To the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event of any dispute arising out of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the parties hereto consent and submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York in the county of New York and of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed on the date above written.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Title: President | ||||
FIFTH STREET MANAGEMENT LLC By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Title: President | ||||
Appendix A
Example 1: Income Related Portion of Incentive Fee for Each Quarter
Scenario 1
Assumptions
Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 1.25%
Hurdle rate(1) = 1.5%
Management fee(2) = 0.25%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) = 0.2%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income - (management fee + other expenses) = 0.80%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income does not exceed hurdle rate, therefore there is no income-related incentive fee.
Scenario 2
Assumptions
Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 2.65%
Hurdle rate(1) = 1.5%
Management fee(2) = 0.25%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) = 0.2%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income - (management fee + other expenses) = 2.2%
Incentive fee = 50% × Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (subject to “catch-up”)(4)
= 50% × (2.2% - 1.5%)
= 0.35%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income exceeds the hurdle rate, but does not fully satisfy the “catch-up” provision, therefore the income related portion of the incentive fee is 0.35%.
Scenario 3
Assumptions
Investment income (including interest, dividends, fees, etc.) = 3.25%
Hurdle rate(1) = 1.5%
Management fee(2) = 0.25%
Other expenses (legal, accounting, custodian, transfer agent, etc.)(3) = 0.2%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income
(investment income - (management fee + other expenses) = 2.8%
Incentive fee = 50% × Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income (subject to “catch-up”)(4)
Incentive fee = 50% × “catch-up” + (20% × (Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income - 2.5%))
Catch up = 2.5% - 1.5%
= 1.0%
Incentive fee = (50% × 1.0%) + (20% × (2.8% - 2.5%))
= 0.50% + (20% × 0.3%)
= 0.50% + 0.06%
= 0.56%
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income exceeds the hurdle rate, and fully satisfies the “catch-up” provision, therefore the income related portion of the incentive fee is 0.56%.
(1) | Represents 6% annualized hurdle rate. |
(2) | Represents 1% annualized base management fee. |
(3) | Excludes organizational expenses and the expenses of our initial public offering, as these amounts will be paid by Fifth Street Management on our behalf. |
(4) | The “catch-up” provision is intended to provide our investment adviser with an incentive fee of 20% on all Pre- Incentive Fee Net Investment Income as if a hurdle rate did not apply when our net investment income exceeds 2.5% in any quarter. |
Example 2: Capital Gains Portion of Incentive Fee(*):
Scenario 1:
Assumptions
Year 1: $20 million investment made in Company A (“Investment A”), and $30 million investment made in Company B (“Investment B”)
Year 2: Investment A sold for $50 million and fair market value (“FMV”) of Investment B determined to be $32 million
Year 3: FMV of Investment B determined to be $25 million
Year 4: Investment B sold for $31 million
The capital gains portion of the incentive fee would be:
Year 1: None
Year 2: Capital gains incentive fee of $6 million - ($30 million realized capital gains on sale of Investment A multiplied by 20%)
Year 3: None - $5 million (20% multiplied by ($30 million cumulative capital gains less $5 million cumulative capital depreciation)) less $6 million (previous capital gains fee paid in Year 2)
Year 4: Capital gains incentive fee of $200,000 - $6.2 million ($31 million cumulative realized capital gains multiplied by 20%) less $6 million (capital gains incentive fee taken in Year 2)
Scenario 2
Assumptions
Year 1: $20 million investment made in Company A (“Investment A”), $30 million investment made in Company B (“Investment B”) and $25 million investment made in Company C (“Investment C”)
Year 2: Investment A sold for $50 million, FMV of Investment B determined to be $25 million and FMV of Investment C determined to be $25 million
Year 3: FMV of Investment B determined to be $27 million and Investment C sold for $30 million
Year 4: FMV of Investment B determined to be $24 million
Year 5: Investment B sold for $20 million
The capital gains incentive fee, if any, would be:
Year 1: None
Year 2: $5 million capital gains incentive fee - 20% multiplied by $25 million ($30 million realized capital gains on Investment A less unrealized capital depreciation on Investment B)
Year 3: $1.4 million capital gains incentive fee(1) - $6.4 million (20% multiplied by $32 million ($35 million cumulative realized capital gains less $3 million unrealized capital depreciation)) less $5 million capital gains incentive fee received in Year 2
Year 4: None
Year 5: None - $5 million (20% multiplied by $25 million (cumulative realized capital gains of $35 million less realized capital losses of $10 million)) less $6.4 million cumulative capital gains incentive fee paid in Year 2 and Year 3(2)
* | The hypothetical amounts of returns shown are based on a percentage of our total net assets and assume no leverage. There is no guarantee that positive returns will be realized and actual returns may vary from those shown in this example. |
(1) | As illustrated in Year 3 of Scenario 1 above, if we were to be wound up on a date other than our fiscal year end of any year, we may have paid aggregate capital gains incentive fees that are more than the amount of such fees that would be payable if we had been wound up on our fiscal year end of such year. |
(2) | As noted above, it is possible that the cumulative aggregate capital gains fee received by our investment adviser ($6.4 million) is effectively greater than $5 million (20% of cumulative aggregate realized capital gains less net realized capital losses or net unrealized depreciation ($25 million)). |