Hercules Capital Inc

The following tables are being provided to update, as of December 31, 2024, certain information in the Company’s registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-283735) filed with the SEC on December 11, 2024.

Fees and Expenses

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in our common stock will bear directly or indirectly. However, we caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. The footnotes to the fee table state which items are estimates. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “you” or “us” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, stockholders will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as investors in Hercules Capital, Inc.

(1)In the event that our securities are sold to or through underwriters, a corresponding prospectus supplement to the Prospectus will disclose the applicable sales load.

(2)In the event that we conduct an offering of our securities, a corresponding prospectus supplement to this prospectus will disclose the estimated offering expenses.

(3)The expenses associated with the administration of our dividend reinvestment plan are included in “Operating expenses.” We pay all brokerage commissions incurred with respect to open market purchases, if any, made by the administrator under the plan. For more details about the plan, see “Dividend Reinvestment Plan.”

(4)Total stockholder transaction expenses may include sales load and will be disclosed in a future prospectus supplement, if any.

(5)“Net assets attributable to common stock” equals the weighted average net assets for the year ended December 31, 2024, which is approximately $1,861.6 million.

(6)“Operating expenses” represent our actual operating expenses incurred for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

(7)We do not have an investment adviser and are internally managed by our executive officers under the supervision of our Board. As a result, we do not pay investment advisory fees, but instead we pay the operating costs associated with employing investment management professionals.

(8)“Interest and fees paid in connection with borrowed funds” represent our interest, fees, and credit facility expenses incurred for the year ended December 31, 2024.

(9)“Total annual expenses” is the sum of “Operating expenses”, “Interest and fees paid in connection with borrowed funds”, and "Acquired fund fees and expenses". “Total annual expenses” is presented as a percentage of weighted average net assets attributable to common stockholders, because the holders of shares of our common stock (and not the holders of our debt securities or preferred stock, if any) bear all of our fees and expenses, including the fees and expenses of our wholly-owned consolidated subsidiaries, all of which are included in this fee table presentation.

(10)“Acquired fund fees and expenses” represent the estimated indirect expense incurred due to investments in other investment companies and private funds.

The following example demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in our common stock. These amounts are based upon our payment of annual operating expenses at the levels set forth in the table above and assume no additional leverage.

The example and the expenses in the tables above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses may be greater or lesser than those shown. Moreover, while the example assumes, as required by the applicable rules of the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or lesser than

5%. In addition, while the example assumes reinvestment of all distributions at NAV, participants in our dividend reinvestment plan may receive shares valued at the market price in effect at that time. This price may be at, above or below NAV. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” for additional information regarding our dividend reinvestment plan.

Senior Securities

Information about our senior securities is shown in the following table. The information as of and for each of the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020, is derived from our consolidated financial statements, which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is included herein.

(1)Total amount of each class of senior securities outstanding at the end of the period presented.

(2)The asset coverage ratio for a class of senior securities representing indebtedness is calculated as our consolidated total assets, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities, including senior securities not subject to asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act due to exemptive relief from the SEC, divided by senior securities representing indebtedness. This asset coverage ratio is multiplied by $1,000 to determine the Asset Coverage per Unit.

(3)Not applicable because senior securities are not registered for public trading.

(4)Issued by Hercules Technology II, L.P. (“HT II”), one of our prior SBIC subsidiaries, to the Small Business Association (“SBA”). On July 13, 2018, we completed repayment of the remaining outstanding HT II debentures and subsequently surrendered the SBA license with respect to HT II. These categories of senior securities were not subject to the asset coverage requirements of the 1940 Act as a result of exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC.

(5)Issued by HT III, one of our prior SBIC subsidiaries, to the SBA. On May 5, 2021, we completed repayment of the remaining outstanding HT III debentures and subsequently surrendered the SBA license with respect to HT III. These categories of senior securities were not subject to the asset coverage requirements of the 1940 Act as a result of exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC.

(6)Issued by HC IV, one of our SBIC subsidiaries, to the SBA. These categories of senior securities are not subject to the asset coverage requirements of the 1940 Act as a result of exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC.

(7)The Company’s Wells Facility and MUFG Bank Facility had no borrowings outstanding as of the periods noted above.

(8)The total senior securities and Asset Coverage per Unit shown for those securities do not represent the asset coverage ratio requirement under the 1940 Act, because the presentation includes senior securities not subject to the asset coverage requirements of the 1940 Act as a result of exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC. As of December 31, 2024, our asset coverage ratio under our regulatory requirements as a business development company was 231.7% excluding our SBA debentures as a result of our exemptive order from the SEC which allows us to exclude all SBA leverage from our asset coverage ratio.

(9)The June 2022 amendment of the MUFG Bank Facility replaced the Union Bank Facility via an amendment as the lead lender.

(10)Issued by SBIC V, one of our SBIC subsidiaries, to the SBA. These categories of senior securities are not subject to the asset coverage requirements of the 1940 Act as a result of exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC..

Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans

On June 27, 2024, Scott Bluestein, chief executive officer and director, adopted a written plan for the sale of our common stock that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c) under the Exchange Act. The plan covered the sale of up to 100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock over a period commencing after the later of (1) 91 days from the adoption date or (2) the earlier of (a) the third business day following the public disclosure of the Company’s financial results on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 or (b) 121 days after the adoption date, and terminated on December 15, 2024 or upon the earlier completion of all authorized transactions under the plan. On September 26, 2024, all authorized transactions were completed under the plan and the plan terminated.

During the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024, no directors or executive officers adopted orterminated any contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of our securities to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Exchange Act Rule 10b5-1(c) or any “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement.”