NOTE 11 - SHARE ISSUANCE AND REPURCHASE

On October 4, 2021, the Company and the Manager entered into an Equity Distribution Agreement with JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC, as placement agent ("JonesTrading"), pursuant to which the Company may issue and sell from time to time up to 2.2 million shares of the 7.875% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock ("Series D Preferred Stock"). Sales of the Series D Preferred Stock may be made in transactions that are deemed to be "at the market" offerings, as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including without limitation, sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange, on any other existing trading market for the shares or to or through a market maker. Subject to the terms of the Company’s notice, JonesTrading may also sell the shares by any other method permitted by law, including but not limited to in privately negotiated transactions. The Company will pay JonesTrading a commission up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from the sales of the Series D Preferred Stock pursuant to the agreement. The terms and conditions of the agreement include various representations and warranties, conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties and termination provisions. During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company did not issue any Series D Preferred Stock through this agreement.

On or after July 30, 2024, the Company may, at its option, redeem its 8.625% Fixed-to-Floating Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock ("Series C Preferred Stock"), in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, for cash at $25.00 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, to the redemption date. Effective July 30, 2024 and thereafter, the Company will pay cumulative distributions on the Series C Preferred Stock at a floating rate equal to three-month Term SOFR plus a spread of 5.927% per annum based on the $25.00 liquidation preference, provided that such floating rate shall not be less than the initial rate of 8.625% at any date of determination.

At June 30, 2025, the Company had 4.8 million shares of Series C Preferred Stock and 4.5 million shares of Series D Preferred Stock outstanding, with weighted average issuance prices, excluding offering costs, of $25.00.

In November 2021, the board of directors, (the "Board"), authorized and approved the continued use of its existing share repurchase program to repurchase an additional $20.0 million of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock. Under the share repurchase program, the Company intends to repurchase shares through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, block purchases or otherwise in accordance with applicable federal securities laws, including Rule 10b-18 and 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act. In November 2023, the Board authorized and approved the repurchase of an additional $10.0 million of outstanding shares of both common and preferred stock. In December 2024, the Board authorized and approved the repurchase of an additional $5.0 million of outstanding shares of both common and preferred stock and in April 2025, the Board authorized and approved the repurchase of an additional $10.0 million of outstanding shares of both common and preferred stock.

During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, the Company repurchased $9.4 million and $3.6 million, respectively, of its common stock, representing 491,749 and 310,285 shares, respectively. During the six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company repurchased $2.2 million, or 100,000 shares, of its Series D Preferred Stock. At June 30, 2025, $5.4 million of common and preferred stock remains available under this repurchase plan.

In connection with the Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement with Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. ("Oaktree") and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company ("MassMutual") dated July 31, 2020, the Company issued to Oaktree warrants to purchase 391,995 shares of common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $42.0 million, and issued to MassMutual warrants to purchase 74,666 shares of common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $8.0 million. The warrants are classified as equity and recorded in additional paid-in capital on the consolidated balance sheets at their fair value of $3.1 million at issuance. The warrants are immediately exercisable on issuance at an exercise price of $0.03 per share, subject to certain potential adjustments, and expire seven years from the issuance date. The holder of the warrants can exercise with cash or as a net exercise. In July 2022, MassMutual exercised their warrants to purchase 74,666 shares. At June 30, 2025, the Oaktree warrants have not been exercised.

Subsequent to June 30, 2025, Oaktree exercised their warrants to purchase 391,380 shares.