SURO CAPITAL CORP

NOTE 1—NATURE OF OPERATIONS

SuRo Capital Corp. (“we”, “us”, “our”, the “Company” or “SuRo Capital”), formerly known as Sutter Rock Capital Corp. and as GSV Capital Corp. and formed in September 2010 as a Maryland corporation, is an internally managed, non-diversified closed-end management investment company. The Company has elected to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

The Company’s date of inception was January 6, 2011, which is the date it commenced development stage activities. The Company’s common stock is currently listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “SSSS” (formerly “GSVC”). Prior to November 24, 2021, the Company’s common stock traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the same symbol (“SSSS”). The Company began its investment operations during the second quarter of 2011.

The table below displays the Company’s subsidiaries as of September 30, 2024, which, other than GSV Capital Lending, LLC (“GCL”) and SuRo Capital Sports, LLC, are collectively referred to as the “Taxable Subsidiaries.” The Taxable Subsidiaries were formed to hold certain portfolio investments. The Taxable Subsidiaries, including their associated portfolio investments, are consolidated with the Company for accounting purposes, but have elected to be treated as separate entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. GCL was formed to originate portfolio loan investments within the state of California and is consolidated with the Company for accounting purposes. Refer to “Note 2—Significant Accounting Policies—Basis of Consolidation” below for further detail.

The Company’s investment objective is to maximize its portfolio’s total return, principally by seeking capital gains on its equity and equity-related investments, and to a lesser extent, income from debt investments. The Company invests principally in the equity securities of what it believes to be rapidly growing venture capital-backed emerging companies. The Company may invest in these portfolio companies through direct offerings of the prospective portfolio companies, transactions on secondary marketplaces for private companies, negotiations with selling stockholders, investment funds, or through special purpose vehicles (“SPVs”) and other investment funds for the purpose of investing in securities of a single private issuer. In addition, the Company may invest in private credit and in founders equity, founders warrants, and private investment in public equity transactions of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”). The Company may also invest on an opportunistic basis in select publicly traded equity securities or certain non-U.S. companies that otherwise meet its investment criteria, subject to any applicable limitations under the 1940 Act.

NOTE 2—SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the requirements for reporting on Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Company is an investment company following the specialized accounting and reporting guidance specified in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946,Financial Services—Investment Companies. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, all of which were of a normal recurring nature, were considered necessary for the fair presentation of consolidated financial statements for the period have been included.

The results of operations for the current interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that ultimately may be achieved for any other interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2024. The interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes hereto should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Basis of Consolidation

Under Article 6 of Regulation S-X and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (“AICPA”) Audit and Accounting Guide for Investment Companies, the Company is precluded from consolidating any entity other than another investment company, a controlled operating company that provides substantially all of its services and benefits to the Company, and certain entities established for tax purposes where the Company holds a 100% interest. Accordingly, the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include its accounts and the accounts of the Taxable Subsidiaries, GCL, and SuRo Sports, its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Segments

The Company invests in and lends to portfolio companies in various industries, including artificial intelligence, consumer goods and services, education technology, financial technology and services, logistics and supply chain, software-as-a-service, and others. The Company separately evaluates the performance of each of its portfolio company investments. However, because each of these venture capital investments has similar business and economic characteristics, they have been aggregated into a single reportable segment.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make a number of significant estimates. These include estimates of the fair value of certain assets and liabilities and other estimates that affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities as of the date of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the reported amounts of certain revenues and expenses during the reporting period. It is likely that changes in these estimates may occur in the near term. The Company’s estimates are inherently subjective in nature and actual results could differ materially from such estimates.

Uncertainties and Risk Factors

The Company is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties in the nature of its operations, as well as vulnerability due to certain concentrations. Refer to “Risk Factors” in Part II, Item 1A of this Form 10-Q for a detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the nature of the Company’s operations. Refer to “Note 4—Investments at Fair Value” for an overview of the Company’s industry and geographic concentrations.

Investments at Fair Value

The Company applies fair value accounting in accordance with GAAP and the AICPA’s Audit and Accounting Guide for Investment Companies. The Company values its assets on a quarterly basis, or more frequently if required under the 1940 Act.

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a framework for measuring fair value that includes a hierarchy used to classify the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1—Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in an active market that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

Level 2—Valuations based on observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data at the measurement date for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3—Valuations based on unobservable inputs that reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model. The majority of the Company’s investments are Level 3 investments and are subject to a high degree of judgment and uncertainty in determining fair value.

When the inputs used to measure fair value fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the level within which the fair value measurement is categorized is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. For example, a Level 3 fair value measurement may include inputs that are observable (Levels 1 and 2) and unobservable (Level 3). Therefore, gains and losses for such assets and liabilities categorized within the Level 3 table set forth in “Note 4—Investments at Fair Value” may include changes in fair value that are attributable to both observable inputs (Levels 1 and 2) and unobservable inputs (Level 3).

A review of fair value hierarchy classifications is conducted on a quarterly basis. Changes in the observability of valuation inputs may result in a reclassification for certain financial assets or liabilities. Reclassifications impacting Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy are reported as transfers in/out of the Level 3 category as of the beginning of the measurement period in which the reclassifications occur. Refer to “Levelling Policy” below for a detailed discussion of the levelling of the Company’s financial assets or liabilities and events that may cause a reclassification within the fair value hierarchy.

Securities for which market quotations are readily available on an exchange are valued at the most recently available closing price of such security as of the valuation date. If there are legal or contractual restrictions on the sale or use of such security that under ASC 820-10-35, as modified by ASU 2022-03 (as defined below), should be incorporated into the security’s fair value measurement as a characteristic of the security that would transfer to market participants who would buy the security, the Company will consider those restrictions in the fair value determination of that security. Contractual sale restrictions on the sale or use of a security which are an entity-specific characteristic, rather than a security-specific characteristic (as discussed in ASU 2022-03), are not considered in the fair value determinations for such securities. The Company may also obtain quotes with respect to certain of its investments from pricing services, brokers or dealers in order to value assets. When doing so, the Company determines whether the quote obtained is sufficient according to GAAP to determine the fair value of the security. If determined to be adequate, the Company uses the quote obtained.

Securities for which reliable market quotations are not readily available or for which the pricing source does not provide a valuation or methodology, or provides a valuation or methodology that, in the judgment of management, the Company’s Board of Directors or the valuation committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Valuation Committee”), does not reliably represent fair value, shall each be valued as follows:

In making a good faith determination of the fair value of investments, the Board of Directors applies valuation methodologies consistent with industry practice. Valuation methods utilized include, but are not limited to, the following: comparisons to prices from secondary market transactions; venture capital financings; public offerings; purchase or sales transactions; analysis of financial ratios and valuation metrics of portfolio companies that issued such private equity securities to peer companies that are public; analysis of the portfolio company’s most recent financial statements, forecasts and the markets in which the portfolio company does business, and other relevant factors. The Company assigns a weighting based upon the relevance of each method to assist the Board of Directors in determining the fair value of each investment.

For investments that are not publicly traded or that do not have readily available market quotations, the Valuation Committee generally engages an independent valuation firm to provide an independent valuation, which the Company’s Board of Directors considers, among other factors, in making its fair value determinations for these investments. For the current and prior fiscal year, the Valuation Committee engaged an independent valuation firm to perform valuations of 100% of the Company’s investments for which there were no readily available market quotations.

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Company’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, these estimated values may differ significantly from the values that would have been reported had a ready market for the investments existed, and it is reasonably possible that the difference could be material. In addition, changes in the market environment and other events that may occur over the life of the investments may cause the realized gains or losses on investments to be different from the net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation currently reflected in the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Equity Investments

Equity investments for which market quotations are readily available in an active market are generally valued at the most recently available closing market prices and are classified as Level 1 assets. Equity investments with readily available market quotations that are subject to sales restrictions due to an initial public offering (“IPO”) by the portfolio company will be classified as Level 1. Any other equity investments with readily available market quotations that are subject to sales restrictions that would transfer to market participants who would buy the security may be valued at a discount for a lack of marketability (“DLOM”) to the most recently available closing market prices. These investments are generally classified as Level 2 assets. The DLOM used is generally based upon the market value of publicly traded put options with similar terms. For equity securities with readily available market quotations that are subject to entity-specific contractual sale restrictions, rather than security-specific contractual sale restrictions, if such entity-specific contractual sale restrictions first applied or were modified on or after December 15, 2023, the restrictions are not considered in the determination of fair value for that security. See “Recently Issued or Adopted Accounting Standards” for more information.

The fair values of the Company’s equity investments for which market quotations are not readily available are determined based on various factors and are classified as Level 3 assets. To determine the fair value of a portfolio company for which market quotations are not readily available, the Board of Directors applies the appropriate respective valuation methodology for the asset class or portfolio holding, which may involve analyzing the relevant portfolio company’s most recently available historical and projected financial results, public market comparables, and other factors. The Board of Directors may also consider other events, including the transaction in which the Company acquired its securities, subsequent equity sales by the portfolio company, and mergers or acquisitions affecting the portfolio company. In addition, the Board of Directors may consider the trends of the portfolio company’s basic financial metrics from the time of its original investment until the measurement date, with material improvement of these metrics indicating a possible increase in fair value, while material deterioration of these metrics may indicate a possible reduction in fair value.

In determining the fair value of equity or equity-linked securities (including simple agreement for future equity (“SAFE”) notes and warrants to purchase common or preferred stock) in a portfolio company, the Board of Directors considers the rights, preferences and limitations of such securities. When equity-linked securities expire worthless, any cost associated with these positions is recognized as a realized loss on investments in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. In the event these securities are exercised into common or preferred stock, the cost associated with these securities is reassigned to the cost basis of the new common or preferred stock. These conversions are noted as non-cash operating items on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Debt Investments

Given the nature of the Company’s current debt investments (excluding U.S. Treasuries), which are principally convertible and promissory notes issued by venture capital-backed portfolio companies, these investments are classified as Level 3 assets because there is no known or accessible market or market indices for these investment securities to be traded or exchanged. The Company’s debt investments are valued at estimated fair value as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors.

Options

The Company’s Board of Directors determines the fair value of options based on methodologies that can include discounted cash flow analyses, option pricing models, comparable analyses and other techniques as deemed appropriate. These investments are classified as Level 3 assets because there is no known or accessible market or market indices for these investment securities to be traded or exchanged. The Company’s options are valued at estimated fair value as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors.

Special Purpose Vehicles and Investment Funds

At various times, the Company may utilize SPVs and similar investment fund structures in the investment process. The Company advances money to these SPVs or investment funds that are formed for the specific purpose of investing in securities of a single private issuer. Generally speaking, these single asset SPVs have the following characteristics: (1) the underlying investment in the securities of the single private issuer is the sole activity of the SPV or investment fund; (2) the Company’s underlying ownership of the single private issuer is proportionate to the Company’s contributions made to the SPV or investment fund; and (3) the Company will receive its proportionate share of the cash proceeds as the single private issuer is monetized and distributed. The Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Investments presents the value of the Company’s investment in the SPV or investment fund. These SPV and fund investments are valued at estimated fair value as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors. The SPVs may incur a tax liability associated with distributions made by underlying portfolio investments. If an SPV or investment fund charges management fees or prepaid partnership expenses, those fees may adjust the cost of the SPV.

In valuing the Company’s investments in venture investment funds (“Venture Investment Funds”), the Company may apply the practical expedient provided by the ASC Topic 820 relating to investments in certain entities that calculate net asset value (“NAV”) per share (or its equivalent). ASC Topic 820 permits an entity holding investments in certain entities that either are investment companies, or have attributes similar to an investment company, and calculate NAV per share or its equivalent for which the fair value is not readily determinable, to measure the fair value of such investments on the basis of that NAV per share, or its equivalent, without adjustment.

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies

The Company’s Board of Directors measures its SPAC sponsor investments at fair value, which is equivalent to cost until a SPAC transaction is announced. After a SPAC transaction is announced, the Company’s Board of Directors will determine the fair value of SPAC investments based on fair value analyses that can include option pricing models, probability-weighted expected return method analyses and other techniques as deemed appropriate. Upon completion of the SPAC transaction, the Board of Directors utilizes the public share price of the entity, less a DLOM if there are security-specific contractual sale restrictions. The Company’s SPAC investments are valued at estimated fair value as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors.

Portfolio Company Investment Classification

The Company is a non-diversified company within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Company classifies its investments by level of control. As defined in the 1940 Act, control investments are those where the investor retains the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company. Control is generally deemed to exist when a company or individual directly or indirectly owns beneficially more than 25% of the voting securities of an investee company. Affiliated investments and affiliated companies are defined by a lesser degree of influence and are deemed to exist when a company or individual directly or indirectly owns, controls or holds the power to vote 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of a portfolio company. Refer to the Condensed Consolidated Schedules of Investments as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 for details regarding the nature and composition of the Company’s investment portfolio.

Levelling Policy

The portfolio companies in which the Company invests may offer their shares in IPOs. The Company’s shares in such portfolio companies are typically subject to lock-up agreements for 180 days following the IPO. Upon the IPO date, the Company transfers its investment from Level 3 to Level 1 due to the presence of an active market, or Level 2 if limited by the lock-up agreement. The Company prices the investment at the closing price on a public exchange as of the measurement date. In situations where there are legal or contractual restrictions on the sale or use of such security that under ASC 820-10-35 (as modified by ASU 2022-03) should be incorporated into the security’s fair value measurement as a characteristic of the security that would transfer to market participants who would buy the security, the Company will classify the investment as Level 2 subject to an appropriate DLOM to reflect the restrictions upon sale. The Company transfers investments between levels based on the fair value at the beginning of the measurement period in accordance with FASB ASC 820. For investments transferred out of Level 3 due to an IPO, the Company transfers these investments based on their fair value at the IPO date.

Securities Transactions

Securities transactions are accounted for on the date the transaction for the purchase or sale of the securities is entered into by the Company (i.e., trade date). Securities transactions outside conventional channels, such as private transactions, are recorded as of the date the Company obtains the right to demand the securities purchased or to collect the proceeds from a sale and incurs an obligation to pay for securities purchased or to deliver securities sold, respectively.

Valuation of Other Financial Instruments

The carrying amounts of the Company’s other, non-investment financial instruments, consisting of cash, receivables, accounts payable, and accrued expenses, approximate fair value due to their short-term nature.

Cash

The Company custodies its cash with Western Alliance Trust Company, N.A., and may place cash in demand deposit accounts with other high-quality financial institutions. The cash held in these accounts may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured limit. The Company believes the risk of loss associated with any uninsured balance is remote.

Escrow Proceeds Receivable

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of portfolio investments are held in escrow as a recourse for indemnity claims that may arise under the sale agreement or other related transaction contingencies. Amounts held in escrow are held at estimated realizable value and included in net realized gains/(losses) on investments in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the period in which they occurred and are adjusted as needed. Any remaining escrow proceeds balances from these transactions reasonably expected to be received are reflected on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities as escrow proceeds receivable. Escrow proceeds receivable resulting from contingent consideration are to be recognized when the amount of the contingent consideration becomes realized or realizable. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had $63,745 and $309,293, respectively, in escrow proceeds receivable.

Deferred Financing Costs

The Company records fees and expenses incurred in connection with financing or capital raising activities relating to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form N-2 as deferred financing costs. The Company also incurred additional offering costs in connection with its 6.00% Notes due 2026. The Company defers these offering costs until capital is raised pursuant to the shelf registration statement or as the shelf registration statement expires. For equity capital raised, the offering costs reduce paid-in capital resulting from the offering. These costs are deferred and amortized using the straight-line method over the respective life of the financing instrument. For modifications to a financing instrument, any unamortized origination costs are expensed.

The Company records fees and expenses incurred in connection with debt capital raises as deferred debt issuance costs. Such costs are reflected in the carrying value of the related debt instrument, and not the Company’s deferred financing costs. For debt capital raised, the associated offering costs are deferred and amortized as part of interest expense using the straight-line method over the life of the debt instrument. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had deferred financing costs of $492,952 and $594,726, respectively, on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Refer to “Note 10 — Debt Capital Activities” for further detail regarding the Company’s deferred debt issuance costs.

Operating Leases & Related Deposits

The Company accounts for its operating leases as prescribed by ASC 842,Leases, which requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset on the balance sheet, representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a corresponding lease liability for all leases with terms greater than 12 months. The lease expense is presented as a single lease cost that is amortized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease. Non-lease components (maintenance, property tax, insurance and parking) are not included in the lease cost. On September 1, 2024, the Company extended the previous operating lease for office space, for an additional term of three years and three months, expiring March 31, 2028 . The Company has recorded a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability for the operating lease obligation. These amounts have been discounted using the rate implicit in the lease. Refer to “Note 7—Commitments and Contingencies—Operating Leases and Related Deposits” for further detail.

Stock-based Compensation

Using the fair value recognition provisions as prescribed by ASC 718,Stock Compensation, stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense over the appropriate service period. Determining the fair value of stock-based awards requires considerable judgment, including estimating the expected term of stock options and the expected volatility of the Company’s stock price. Differences between actual results and these estimates could have a material effect on the Company’s financial results. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur. Refer to “Note 11—Stock-Based Compensation” for further detail.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes gains or losses on the sale of investments using the specific identification method. The Company recognizes interest income, adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of discount, on an accrual basis. The Company recognizes dividend income on the ex-dividend date.

Investment Transaction Costs and Escrow Deposits

Commissions and other costs associated with an investment transaction, including legal expenses not reimbursed by the portfolio company, are included in the cost basis of purchases and deducted from the proceeds of sales. The Company makes certain acquisitions on secondary markets, which may involve making deposits to escrow accounts until certain conditions are met, including the underlying private company’s right of first refusal. If the underlying private company does not exercise or assign its right of first refusal and all other conditions are met, then the funds in the escrow account are delivered to the seller and the account is closed. Such transactions would be reflected on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities as escrow deposits. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company hadno escrow deposits.

Unrealized Appreciation or Depreciation of Investments

Unrealized appreciation or depreciation is calculated as the difference between the fair value of the investment and the cost basis of such investment.

U.S. Federal and State Income Taxes

The Company elected to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code beginning with its taxable year ended December 31, 2014, has qualified to be treated as a RIC for subsequent taxable years and intends to continue to operate in a manner so as to qualify for the tax treatment applicable to RICs. To qualify for tax treatment as a RIC, among other things, the Company is required to meet certain source of income and asset diversification requirements and timely distribute to its stockholders at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (“ICTI”), including payment-in-kind interest income, as defined by the Code, and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income (which is the excess of its gross tax-exempt interest income over certain disallowed deductions) for each taxable year (the “Annual Distribution Requirement”). Depending on the level of ICTI earned in a tax year, the Company may choose to carry forward into the next tax year ICTI in excess of current year dividend distributions. Any such carryforward ICTI must be distributed on or before December 31 of the subsequent tax year to which it was carried forward.

If the Company meets the Annual Distribution Requirement, but does not distribute (or is not deemed to have distributed) each calendar year a sum of (1) 98% of its net ordinary income for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (3) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years (the “Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement”), it generally will be required to pay an excise tax equal to 4% of the amount by which the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement exceeds the distributions for the year. To the extent that the Company determines that its estimated current year annual taxable income will exceed estimated current year dividend distributions from such taxable income, the Company will accrue excise taxes, if any, on estimated excess taxable income as taxable income is earned using an annual effective excise tax rate. The annual effective excise tax rate is determined by dividing the estimated annual excise tax by the estimated annual taxable income.

So long as the Company qualifies and maintains its tax treatment as a RIC, it generally will not be subject to U.S. federal and state income taxes on any ordinary income or capital gains that it distributes at least annually to its stockholders as dividends. Rather, any tax liability related to income earned by the RIC will represent obligations of the Company’s investors and will not be reflected in the condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company. Included in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements, the Taxable Subsidiaries are taxable subsidiaries, regardless of whether the Company is a RIC. These Taxable Subsidiaries are not consolidated for income tax purposes and may generate income tax expenses as a result of their ownership of the portfolio companies. Such income tax expenses and deferred taxes, if any, will be reflected in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

If it is not treated as a RIC, the Company will be taxed as a regular corporation (a “C Corporation”) under Subchapter C of the Code for such taxable year. If the Company has previously qualified as a RIC but is subsequently unable to qualify for treatment as a RIC, and certain amelioration provisions are not applicable, the Company would be subject to tax on all of its taxable income (including its net capital gains) at regular corporate rates. The Company would not be able to deduct distributions to stockholders, nor would it be required to make distributions. Distributions, including distributions of net long-term capital gain, would generally be taxable to its stockholders as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the Company’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Subject to certain limitations under the Code, corporate stockholders would be eligible to claim a dividend received deduction with respect to such dividend; non-corporate stockholders would generally be able to treat such dividends as “qualified dividend income,” which is subject to reduced rates of U.S. federal income tax. Distributions in excess of the Company’s current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the stockholder’s adjusted tax basis, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. In order to requalify as a RIC, in addition to the other requirements discussed above, the Company would be required to distribute all of its previously undistributed earnings attributable to the period it failed to qualify as a RIC by the end of the first year that it intends to requalify for tax treatment as a RIC. If the Company fails to requalify for tax treatment as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it may be subject to regular corporate tax on any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the Company had been liquidated) that it elects to recognize on requalification or when recognized over the next five years. Refer to “Note 9—Income Taxes” for further details.

Per Share Information

Net change in net assets resulting from operations per basic common share is computed using the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the period presented. Diluted net change in net assets resulting from operations per common share is computed by dividing net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations for the period adjusted to include the pre-tax effects of interest incurred on potentially dilutive securities, by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding plus any potentially dilutive shares outstanding during the period. When applicable, the Company uses the if-converted method in accordance with FASB ASC 260*, Earnings Per Share* (“ASC 260”), to determine the number of potentially dilutive shares outstanding. Refer to “Note 6—Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations per Common Share—Basic and Diluted” for further detail.

Recently Issued or Adopted Accounting Standards

In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-03, “Fair Value Measurements (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions.” This change prospectively prohibits entities from taking into account certain contractual restrictions on the sale of equity securities when estimating fair value and introduces required disclosures for such transactions. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023, and applied prospectively. The Company adopted the requirements of ASU 2022-03 during the period ended March 31, 2024.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, “Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures.” The amendments in this update require more disaggregated information on income taxes paid. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted; however, the Company has not elected to adopt this provision as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company is still assessing the impact of the new guidance. However, it does not expect ASU 2023-09 to have a material impact on the Company’s future financial statements.

In March 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-01, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope Application of Profits Interest and Similar Awards.” ASU 2024-01 clarifies how an entity determines whether a profits interest or similar award is within the scope of Topic 718 or not a share-based payment arrangement and therefore within the scope of other guidance. ASU 2024-01 is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted; however, the Company has not elected to adopt this provision as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance. However, it does not expect ASU 2024-01 to have a material impact on the Company’s future financial statements.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023- 07”),” which enhances disclosure requirements about significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (the “CODM”). ASU 2023-07, among other things, (i) requires a single segment public entity to provide all of the disclosures as required by Topic 280, (ii) requires a public entity to disclose the title and position of the CODM and an explanation of how the CODM uses the reported measure(s) of segment profit or loss in assessing segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources and (iii) provides the ability for a public entity to elect more than one performance measure. ASU 2023-07 is effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods beginning with the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. Early adoption is permitted and retrospective adoption is required for all prior periods presented. The Company is currently assessing the impact of this guidance, however, the Company does not expect a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standards setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. The Company believes that the impact of recently issued standards and any that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

NOTE 3—RELATED-PARTY ARRANGEMENTS

The Company’s executive officers and directors serve or may serve as officers, directors, or managers of entities that operate in a line of business similar to the Company’s, including new entities that may be formed in the future. Accordingly, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of the Company or the Company’s stockholders.

The 1940 Act prohibits the Company from participating in certain negotiated co-investments with certain affiliates unless it receives an order from the SEC permitting it to do so. As a BDC, the Company is prohibited under the 1940 Act from participating in certain transactions with certain of its affiliates without the prior approval of the Board of Directors, including its independent directors, and, in some cases, the SEC. The affiliates with which the Company may be prohibited from transacting include its officers, directors, and employees and any person controlling or under common control with the Company, subject to certain exceptions.

In the ordinary course of business, the Company may enter into transactions with portfolio companies that may be considered related-party transactions. To ensure that the Company does not engage in any prohibited transactions with any persons affiliated with the Company, the Company has implemented certain written policies and procedures whereby the Company’s executive officers screen each of the Company’s transactions for any possible affiliations between the proposed portfolio investment, the Company, companies controlled by the Company, and the Company’s executive officers and directors.

The Company’s investment in Churchill Sponsor VII LLC, the sponsor of Churchill Capital Corp. VII, a SPAC, constituted a “remote-affiliate” transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act in light of the fact that Mark D. Klein, the Company’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, has a non-controlling interest in the entity that controls Churchill Sponsor VII LLC, and is a non-controlling member of the board of directors of Churchill Capital Corp. VII. In addition, Mr. Klein’s brother, Michael Klein, is a control person of such Churchill entities. On August 18, 2024, Churchill Capital Corp. VII announced that it would not consummate an initial business combination within the time period required by its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and the Company realized a loss on the entirety of its Churchill Sponsor VII LLC common share units and warrant units in the amount of $300,000.

The Company’s investment in Skillsoft Corp. (f/k/a Software Luxembourg Holding S.A.) (“Skillsoft”) constituted a “remote-affiliate” transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act in light of the fact that Mr. Klein has a non-controlling interest in the entity that controlled Churchill Sponsor II LLC, the sponsor of Churchill Capital Corp. II, a SPAC, and was a non-controlling member of the board of directors of Churchill Capital Corp. II, through which the Company executed a private investment in public equity transaction in order to acquire common shares of Skillsoft alongside the merger of Skillsoft and Churchill Capital Corp II. In addition, Mr. Klein’s brother, Michael Klein, was a control person of such Churchill entities. As of September 30, 2024, the fair value of the Company’s remote-affiliate investment in Skillsoft was $760,926.

The Company’s initial investment in Shogun Enterprises, Inc. (d/b/a Hearth) on February 26, 2021 constituted a “remote-affiliate” transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act in light of the fact that Keri Findley, a former senior managing director of the Company until her departure on March 9, 2022, was, at the time of investment, a non-controlling member of the board of directors of Shogun Enterprises, Inc. and held a minority equity interest in such portfolio company. As of September 30, 2024, the fair value of the Company’s remote-affiliate investment in Shogun Enterprises, Inc. (d/b/a Hearth) was $6,217,510.

The Company’s investment in Architect Capital PayJoy SPV, LLC also constituted a “remote-affiliate” transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act in light of the fact that Ms. Findley, at the time of investment, was a non-controlling member of the board of directors of the investment manager to Architect Capital PayJoy SPV, LLC, and held a minority equity interest in such investment manager. On June 28, 2024, the Company redeemed the entirety of its Membership Interest in Architect Capital PayJoy SPV, LLC.

In addition, Ms. Findley and Claire Councill, a former investment professional of the Company until her departure on April 15, 2022, were non-controlling members of the board of directors of Colombier Acquisition Corp., a SPAC, which was sponsored by Colombier Sponsor LLC, one of the Company’s portfolio companies until its dissolution upon completion of Colombier Acquisition Corp.’s business combination into PSQ Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a PublicSquare). As of September 30, 2024, the fair value of the Company’s investment in PSQ Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a PublicSquare) was $4,457,988.

The Company’s investment in AltC Sponsor LLC, the sponsor of AltC Acquisition Corp, a SPAC, constituted a “remote-affiliate” transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act in light of the fact that Mr. Klein has a non-controlling interest in one of the entities that controlled AltC Sponsor LLC, and Allison Green, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Treasurer and Secretary, was a non-controlling member of the board of directors of AltC Acquisition Corp until its dissolution upon completion of AltC Acquisition Corp.’s business combination into Oklo, Inc. As of September 30, 2024, the fair value of the Company’s investment in Oklo, Inc. was $1,405,641.

NOTE 4—INVESTMENTS AT FAIR VALUE

Investment Portfolio Composition

The Company’s investments in portfolio companies consist primarily of equity securities (such as common stock, preferred stock and options or agreements to purchase or acquire common and preferred stock), and to a lesser extent, debt securities, issued by private and publicly traded companies. The Company may also, from time to time, invest in U.S. Treasury bills. Non-portfolio investments represent investments in U.S. Treasury bills. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had 60 positions in 37 portfolio companies. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had 63 positions in 38 portfolio companies.

The following tables summarize the composition of the Company’s investment portfolio by security type at cost and fair value as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023:

The geographic and industrial compositions of the Company’s portfolio at fair value as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were as follows:

The table below details the composition of the Company’s industrial themes presented in the preceding tables:

Investment Valuation Inputs

The fair values of the Company’s investments disaggregated into the three levels of the fair value hierarchy based upon the lowest level of significant input used in the valuation as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are as follows:

Significant Unobservable Inputs for Level 3 Assets and Liabilities

In accordance with FASB ASC 820,Fair Value Measurement, the tables below provide quantitative information about the fair value measurements of the Company’s Level 3 assets as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. In addition to the techniques and inputs noted in the tables below, according to the Company’s valuation policy, the Board of Directors may also use other valuation techniques and methodologies when determining the fair value measurements of the Company’s assets. The tables below are not intended to be all-inclusive, but rather provide information on the significant Level 3 inputs as they relate to the fair value measurements of the Company’s assets. To the extent an unobservable input is not reflected in the tables below, such input is deemed insignificant with respect to the Company’s Level 3 fair value measurements as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Significant changes in the inputs in isolation would result in a significant change in the fair value measurement, depending on the input and the materiality of the investment. Refer to “Note 2—Significant Accounting Policies—Investments at Fair Value” for more detail.

As of September 30, 2024

As of December 31, 2023

The aggregate values of Level 3 assets and liabilities changed during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 as follows:

The aggregate values of Level 3 assets and liabilities changed during the year ended December 31, 2023 as follows:

Schedule of Investments In, and Advances to, Affiliates

Transactions during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 involving the Company’s controlled investments and non-controlled/affiliate investments were as follows:

Schedule of Investments In, and Advances to, Affiliates

Transactions during the year ended December 31, 2023 involving the Company’s controlled investments and non-controlled/affiliate investments were as follows:

NOTE 5—COMMON STOCK

On August 8, 2017, the Company announced a $5.0 million discretionary open-market share repurchase program of shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of up to $5.0 million until the earlier of (i) August 6, 2018 or (ii) the repurchase of $5.0 million in aggregate amount of the Company’s common stock (the “Share Repurchase Program”). Following several intervening approvals from the Company’s Board of Directors to increase the amount of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be repurchased under the discretionary Share Repurchase Program and/or to extend the Share Repurchase Program to later expiration dates, on August 7, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized an extension of, and an increase in the amount of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be repurchased under, the discretionary Share Repurchase Program until the earlier of (i) October 31, 2024 or (ii) the repurchase of $60.0 million in aggregate amount of the Company’s common stock.

The timing and number of shares to be repurchased will depend on a number of factors, including market conditions and alternative investment opportunities. The Share Repurchase Program may be suspended, terminated or modified at any time for any reason and does not obligate the Company to acquire any specific number of shares of its common stock. Under the Share Repurchase Program, the Company may repurchase its outstanding common stock in the open market, provided that it complies with the prohibitions under its insider trading policies and procedures and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Exchange Act.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company didnot repurchase any shares of the Company’s common stock under the Share Repurchase Program. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company repurchased 186,493 shares of the Company’s common stock under the Share Repurchase Program. As of September 30, 2024, the dollar value of shares that remained available to be purchased by the Company under the Share Repurchase Program was approximately $20.7 million.

Modified Dutch Auction Tender Offer

On February 20, 2024, the Company commenced a modified “Dutch Auction” tender offer (the “Modified Dutch Auction Tender Offer”) to purchase up to 2,000,000 shares of its common stock from its stockholders, which expired on April 1, 2024. In accordance with the terms of the Modified Dutch Auction Tender Offer, the Company selected the lowest price per share of not less than $4.00 per share and not greater than $5.00 per share.

Pursuant to the Modified Dutch Auction Tender Offer, the Company repurchased 2,000,000 shares, representing 7.9% of its then-outstanding shares, on or about April 5, 2024 at a price of $4.70 per share. The Company used available cash to fund the purchase of its shares of common stock in the Modified Dutch Auction Tender Offer and to pay for all related fees and expenses.

Amended and Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan

Refer to “Note 11—Stock-Based Compensation” for a description of the Company’s restricted shares of common stock granted under the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (as defined therein).

At-the-Market Offering

On July 29, 2020, the Company entered into an At-the-Market Sales Agreement, dated July 29, 2020 (as amended, the “Sales Agreement”), with BTIG, LLC, JMP Securities LLC and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., Inc. (collectively, the “Agents”). Under the Sales Agreement, the Company may, but has no obligation to, issue and sell up to $150.0 million in aggregate amount of shares of its common stock (the “Shares”) from time to time through the Agents or to them as principal for their own account (the “ATM Program”). The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the ATM Program to make investments in portfolio companies in accordance with its investment objective and strategy and for general corporate purposes.

Sales of the Shares, if any, will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at other negotiated prices. Actual sales in the ATM Program will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by the Company from time to time.

The Agents will receive a commission from the Company equal to up to 2.0% of the gross sales price of any Shares sold through the Agents under the Sales Agreement and reimbursement of certain expenses. The Sales Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties and termination provisions.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company did not issue or sell Shares under the ATM Program. As of September 30, 2024, up to approximately $98.8 million in aggregate amount of the Shares remain available for sale under the ATM Program.

NOTE 6—NET CHANGE IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS PER COMMON SHARE—BASIC AND DILUTED

The following information sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net change in net assets resulting from operations per common share, pursuant to ASC 260, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.

NOTE 7—COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

In the normal course of business, the Company may enter into investment agreements under which it commits to make an investment in a portfolio company at some future date or over a specified period of time.

From time to time, the Company may be a party to certain legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including proceedings relating to the enforcement of its rights under contracts with its portfolio companies. While the outcome of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company does not expect that these proceedings will have a material effect upon its business, financial condition or results of operations. The Company is not currently a party to any material legal proceedings.

Operating Leases and Related Deposits

The Company currently has one operating lease for office space for which the Company has recorded a right-of-use asset and lease liability for the operating lease obligation. The lease originally commenced on June 3, 2019 and expired on August 31, 2024. On September 1, 2024, the Company extended the previous operating lease for office space for an additional term of three years and three months, expiring March 31, 2028. The lease expense is presented as a single lease cost that is amortized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease.

As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company booked a right-of-use asset and operating lease liability of $455,109 and $112,485, respectively, on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company recorded a security deposit of $16,574 and $16,574, respectively, on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities. For the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred $49,512 and $52,472, respectively, of operating lease expense. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred $155,859 and $151,637, respectively, of operating lease expense. The amounts reflected on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities have been discounted using the rate implicit in the lease. As of September 30, 2024, the remaining lease term was 3.3 years and the discount rate was 3.00%.

The following table shows future minimum payments under the Company’s operating lease as of September 30, 2024:

NOTE 8—FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

NOTE 9—INCOME TAXES

The Company elected to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code beginning with its taxable year ended December 31, 2014 and has qualified to be treated as a RIC for subsequent taxable years. The Company intends to continue to operate so as to qualify to be subject to tax treatment as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code and, as such, will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of taxable income (including gains) distributed as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to stockholders. Taxable income includes the Company’s taxable interest, dividend and fee income, reduced by certain deductions, as well as taxable net realized investment gains. Taxable income generally differs from net income for financial reporting purposes due to temporary and permanent differences in the recognition of income and expenses, and generally excludes net unrealized appreciation or depreciation, as such gains or losses are not included in taxable income until they are realized.

To qualify and be subject to tax as a RIC, the Company is required to meet certain income and asset diversification tests in addition to distributing dividends of an amount generally at least equal to 90% of its investment company taxable income, as defined by the Code and determined without regard to any deduction for distributions paid, to its stockholders. The amount to be paid out as a distribution is determined by the Board of Directors each quarter and is based upon the annual earnings estimated by the management of the Company. To the extent that the Company’s earnings fall below the amount of dividend distributions declared, however, a portion of the total amount of the Company’s distributions for the fiscal year may be deemed a return of capital for tax purposes to the Company’s stockholders.

As a RIC, the Company will be subject to a 4% nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income unless the Company makes distributions treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a timely manner to its stockholders in respect of each calendar year of an amount at least equal to the sum of(1) 98% of its ordinary income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the 1-year period ending October 31 of each such calendar year and (3) any ordinary income and net capital gains for preceding years, but not distributed during such years and on which the Company paid no U.S. federal income tax. The Company will not be subject to this excise tax on any amount on which the Company incurred U.S. federal corporate income tax (such as the tax imposed on a RIC’s retained net capital gains).

Depending on the level of taxable income earned in a taxable year, the Company may choose to carry over taxable income in excess of current taxable year distributions from such taxable income into the next taxable year and incur a 4% excise tax on such taxable income, as required. The maximum amount of excess taxable income that may be carried over for distribution in the next taxable year under the Code is the total amount of distributions paid in the following taxable year, subject to certain declaration and payment guidelines. To the extent the Company chooses to carry over taxable income into the next taxable year, distributions declared and paid by the Company in a taxable year may differ from the Company’s taxable income for that taxable year as such distributions may include the distribution of current taxable year taxable income, the distribution of prior taxable year taxable income carried over into and distributed in the current taxable year, or returns of capital.

The Company has taxable subsidiaries which hold certain portfolio investments in an effort to limit potential legal liability and/or comply with source-income type requirements contained in the RIC tax provisions of the Code. These taxable subsidiaries are consolidated for GAAP and the portfolio investments held by the taxable subsidiaries are included in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and are recorded at fair value. These taxable subsidiaries are not consolidated with the Company for income tax purposes and may generate income tax expense, or benefit, and tax assets and liabilities as a result of their ownership of certain portfolio investments. Any income generated by these taxable subsidiaries generally would be subject to tax at normal corporate tax rates based on its taxable income.

The Company intends to timely distribute to its stockholders substantially all of its annual taxable income for each year, except that it may retain certain net capital gains for reinvestment and, depending upon the level of taxable income earned in a year, may choose to carry forward taxable income for distribution in the following year and pay any applicable U.S. federal excise tax.

The Company is required to include net deferred tax provision/benefit in calculating its total expenses even though these net deferred taxes are not currently payable/receivable.

For U.S. federal and state income tax purposes, a portion of the Taxable Subsidiaries’ net operating loss carryforwards and basis differences may be subject to limitations on annual utilization in case of a change in ownership, as defined by federal and state law. The amount of such limitations, if any, has not been determined. Accordingly, the amount of such tax attributes available to offset future profits may be significantly less than the actual amounts of the tax attributes.

The Company and the Taxable Subsidiaries identified their major tax jurisdictions as U.S. federal, New York, and California and may be subject to the taxing authorities’ examination for the tax years 2020–2023 in New York and 2019–2023 in California, respectively. Further, the Company and the Taxable Subsidiaries accrue all interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as incurred. As of September 30, 2024, there were no material interest or penalties incurred related to uncertain tax positions.

NOTE 10—DEBT CAPITAL ACTIVITIES

6.00% Notes due 2026

On December 17, 2021, the Company issued $70.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 6.00% Notes due 2026 pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of March 28, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a second supplemental indenture, dated as of December 17, 2021 (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee. On December 21, 2021, the Company issued an additional $5.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.00% Notes due 2026 pursuant to an overallotment option. The 6.00% Notes due 2026 bear interest at a fixed rate of 6.00% per year, payable quarterly in arrears on March 30, June 30, September 30, and December 30 of each year, commencing on March 30, 2022. The 6.00% Notes due 2026 have a maturity date of December 30, 2026, unless previously repurchased or redeemed in accordance with their terms. The Company has the right to redeem the 6.00% Notes due 2026, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, on or after December 30, 2024 at a redemption price of 100% of the outstanding principal amount of the 6.00% Notes due 2026 plus accrued and unpaid interest.

The 6.00% Notes due 2026 are direct unsecured obligations of the Company and rankpari passu, or equal in right of payment, with all outstanding and future unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company; senior to any of the Company’s future indebtedness that expressly provides it is subordinated to the 6.00% Notes due 2026; effectively subordinated to any of the Company’s future secured indebtedness (including indebtedness that is initially unsecured in respect of which the Company subsequently grants a security interest), to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness (provided, however, that the Company has agreed under the Indenture to not incur any secured or unsecured indebtedness that would be senior to the 6.00% Notes due 2026 while the 6.00% Notes due 2026 are outstanding, subject to certain exceptions); and structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other obligations of any of the Company’s subsidiaries.

The Company records certain fees and expenses incurred in connection with its 6.00% Notes due 2026 as deferred debt issuance costs. Such costs are reflected in the carrying value of the 6.00% Notes due 2026. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had deferred debt issuance costs of $587,682 and $1,254,793, respectively, associated with the 6.00% Notes due 2026. The table below shows a reconciliation from the aggregate principal amount of 6.00% Notes due 2026 to the balance shown on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

The 6.00% Notes due 2026 are listed for trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “SSSSL”. The reported closing market price of SSSSL on September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $24.68 and $23.80 per note, respectively. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the fair value of the 6.00% Notes due 2026 was $49.1 million and $71.4 million, respectively. The 6.00% Notes due 2026 are classified as Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy (Refer to “Note 2 — Significant Accounting Policies”). As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company was in compliance with the terms of the Indenture.

On August 6, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a discretionary note repurchase program (the “Note Repurchase Program”), which allows the Company to repurchase up to 46.67%, or $35.0 million in aggregate principal amount, of its 6.00% Notes due 2026 through open market purchases, including block purchases, in such manner as will comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Exchange Act. During the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company repurchased and retired $25.3 million of aggregate principal amount of the 6.00% Notes due 2026.

6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029

On August 14, 2024, the Company issued $25.0 million aggregate principal amount of convertible notes, which bear interest at a rate of 6.50% per year, payable quarterly in arrears on March 30, June 30, September 30, and December 30 of each year, commencing on September 30, 2024 (the “6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029”). The 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 were issued privately pursuant to a Notes Purchase Agreement (the “Notes Purchase Agreement”) between the Company and the purchaser identified therein (the “Purchaser”). The 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 mature on August 14, 2029 (the “6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029”), unless previously repurchased, redeemed or converted in accordance with the terms of the Notes Purchase Agreement . The Company does not have the right to redeem the 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 prior to August 6, 2027. On or after August 6, 2027, the Company may redeem the 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 upon the fulfillment of certain conditions.

The 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 will be convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at the Purchaser’s sole discretion at an initial conversion rate of 129.0323 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029, which represent a conversion price of approximately $7.75 per share, subject to adjustment as provided in the Notes Purchase Agreement.

The 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 are direct unsecured obligations of the Company and rank pari passu, or equal in right of payment, with any outstanding existing or future unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company. The 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 are junior in right of payment to any existing or future secured credit facility; provided, however, that if the Company enters into a future credit facility senior in right of payment to the 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 (including any secured indebtedness), the interest on the outstanding principal amount of the 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 shall increase as of the date of such entry to 7.00% per annum.

The Company records fees and expenses incurred in connection with its 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 as deferred debt issuance costs. Such costs are reflected in the carrying value of the 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had deferred debt issuance costs of $844,430 associated with the 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029.

NOTE 11—STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

Amended and Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan

On June 19, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved, an amendment and restatement of the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan”) under which the Company is authorized to grant equity awards for up to 1,627,967 shares of its common stock. In accordance with the exemptive relief granted to the Company by the SEC on June 16, 2020 with respect to the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, the Company is generally authorized to (i) issue restricted shares as part of the compensation package for certain of its employees, officers and all directors, including non-employee directors (collectively, the “Participants”), (ii) issue options to acquire shares of its common stock (“Options”) to certain employees, officers and employee directors as a part of such compensation packages, (iii) withhold shares of the Company’s common stock or purchase shares of common stock from the Participants to satisfy tax withholding obligations relating to the vesting of restricted shares or the exercise of Options granted to the certain Participants pursuant to the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iv) permit the Participants to pay the exercise price of Options granted to them with shares of the Company’s common stock.

Under the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, each non-employee director will receive an annual grant of $50,000 worth of restricted shares of common stock (based on the closing stock price of the common stock on the grant date). Each grant of $50,000 in restricted shares will vest, in full, if the non-employee director is in continuous service as a director of the Company through the anniversary of such grant (or, if earlier, the annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders that is closest to the anniversary of such grant). During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company granted 48,192 restricted shares to the Company’s non-employee directors pursuant to the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan. Additionally, on May 31, 2024,60,060 restricted shares related to the 2023 non-employee director grants vested. Compensation expense associated with the restricted shares is recognized on a quarterly basis over the respective vesting periods.

Other than such restricted shares granted to non-employee directors, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors may determine the time or times at which Options and restricted shares granted to other Participants will vest or become payable or exercisable, as applicable. The exercise price of each Option will not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date the option is granted. However, any optionee who owns more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of the Company’s outstanding common stock (a “10% Stockholder”), will not be eligible for the grant of an incentive stock option unless the exercise price of the incentive stock option is at least 110% of the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Generally, no Option will be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date of grant. In the case of an Option granted to a 10% Stockholder, the term of an incentive stock option will be for no more than five years from the date of grant.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company did not grant any restricted shares to the Company’s officers pursuant to the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of $1,969,534 and $2,300,237, respectively, not including executive and employee forfeits. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were approximately $3,080,353 and $4,849,887, respectively, of total unrecognized compensation costs related to the restricted share grants. Compensation expense associated with the restricted shares is recognized on a quarterly basis over the respective vesting periods.

The following table summarizes the activities for the Company’s restricted share grants for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 under the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan:

The Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan provides for the concept of “net share settlement.” Specifically, it provides that the Company is authorized to withhold the Common Stock at the time the restricted shares are vested and taxed in satisfaction of the Participant’s tax obligations.

NOTE 12—SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Portfolio Activity

From October 1, 2024 through November 7, 2024, the Company made the following investments (not including capitalized transaction costs).

From October 1, 2024 through November 7, 2024, the Company exited or received proceeds from the following investments.

The Company is frequently in negotiations with various private companies with respect to investments in such companies. Investments in private companies are generally subject to satisfaction of applicable closing conditions. In the case of secondary market transactions, such closing conditions may include approval of the issuer, waiver or failure to exercise rights of first refusal by the issuer and/or its stockholders and termination rights by the seller or the Company. Equity investments made through the secondary market may involve making deposits in escrow accounts until the applicable closing conditions are satisfied, at which time the escrow accounts will close and such equity investments will be effectuated.

6.00% Notes due 2026 - Note Repurchase Program

Between October 1, 2024 and October 4, 2024, the Company repurchased an additional 201,446 units of the 6.00% Notes due 2026 under the Note Repurchase Program. As of November 7, 2024, the aggregate principal dollar amount of 6.00% Notes due 2026 that may yet be repurchased by the Company under the Note Repurchase Program is approximately $4.7 million.

6.50% Convertible Notes Due 2029

Pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, on October 9, 2024 the Company issued and sold, and the Purchaser purchased, $5.0 million in aggregate principal amount of additional 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 (the “Additional Notes”). The Additional Notes are treated as a single series with the Company’s outstanding 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 (the “Initial Notes”) and have the same terms as the Initial Notes. The Additional Notes are fungible and rank equally with the Initial Notes. Upon issuance of the Additional Notes, the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2029 became $30.0 million.

Share Repurchase Program

On October 29, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized an extension of the Company’s discretionary Share Repurchase Program until the earlier of (i) October 31, 2025 or (ii) the repurchase of $64.3 million in aggregate amount of the Company’s common stock.

The timing and number of shares to be repurchased pursuant to the Company’s discretionary Share Repurchase Program will depend on a number of factors, including market conditions and alternative investment opportunities. The Share Repurchase Program may be suspended, terminated or modified at any time for any reason and does not obligate the Company to acquire any specific number of shares of its common stock. Under the Share Repurchase Program, the Company may repurchase its outstanding common stock in the open market, provided that it complies with the prohibitions under its insider trading policies and procedures and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Exchange Act.

As of November 7, 2024, the dollar value of shares that remained available to be purchased by the Company under the Share Repurchase Program was approximately $25.0 million.

NOTE 13—SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL DATA

Summarized Financial Information of Unconsolidated Subsidiaries

In accordance with the SEC’s Regulation S-X and GAAP, the Company is not permitted to consolidate any subsidiary or other entity that is not an investment company, including those in which the Company has a controlling interest; however, the Company must disclose certain financial information related to any subsidiaries or other entities that are considered to be “significant subsidiaries” under the applicable rules of Regulation S-X.

The Company’s controlled portfolio company as of September 30, 2024, Colombier Sponsor II LLC, did not meet the definition of a “significant subsidiary” as set forth in Rule 1-02(w)(2) of Regulation S-X. For comparability purposes, the Company has omitted the previously disclosed summarized financial information of the Company’s significant subsidiaries for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 as the Company’s significant subsidiaries would not have been considered significant subsidiaries under Rule 1-02(w)(2).