Note 4. Related Party Transactions

Investment Advisory Agreement

The Company has entered into an investment advisory agreement (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) with the Adviser. In accordance with the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Company pays the Adviser certain fees as compensation for its services, such fees consisting of a base management fee and an incentive fee (the “Incentive Fee”). The services the Adviser provides to the Company, subject to the overall supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors, include managing the day-to-day operations of, and providing investment services to, the Company. The Company also entered into a management fee waiver agreement with the Adviser (the “Waiver Agreement”), which the Company or the Adviser may terminate upon 60 days’ prior written notice.

Management Fee

The base management fee is calculated at an annual rate of 1.0% of the Company’s average gross assets including cash and any temporary investments in cash-equivalents, including U.S. government securities and other high-quality investment grade debt investments that mature in 12 months or less from the date of investment, payable quarterly in arrears on a calendar quarter basis.

Pursuant to the Waiver Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to waive the right to receive the base management fee to the extent necessary so that the base management fee payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement equals, and is calculated in the same manner as if, the base management fee otherwise payable by the Company were calculated at an annual rate equal to 0.65% (instead of an annual rate of 1.00%).

For the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company recorded base management fees of $4,284,283 and waivers to the base management fees of $1,499,499, as set forth within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded base management fees of $4,214,381 and waivers to the base management fees of $1,475,033, as set forth within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded base management fees of $4,272,708 and waivers to the base management fees of $1,495,448, as set forth within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Incentive Fee

The Incentive Fee has two parts, as follows: the first part of the Incentive Fee is calculated and payable quarterly in arrears based on the Company’s pre-incentive fee net investment income for the immediately preceding calendar quarter. For this purpose, pre-incentive fee net investment income means interest income, dividend income and any other income (including any other fees (other than fees for providing managerial assistance), such as commitment, origination, structuring, diligence and consulting fees or other fees that the Company receives from portfolio companies) accrued during the calendar quarter, minus the Company’s operating expenses accrued for the quarter (including the base management fee, expenses payable under the Administration Agreement (as defined below) and any interest expense on any credit facilities or outstanding debt and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the Incentive Fee).

The Company determines pre-incentive fee net investment income in accordance with GAAP, including, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature, such as debt instruments with PIK interest, OID securities and accrued income that the Company has not yet received in cash. Pre-incentive fee net investment income does not include any realized capital gains, computed net of all realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation. Pre-incentive fee net investment income, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, is compared to a hurdle of 1.0% per quarter (4.0% annualized). The Company determines its average gross assets during each fiscal quarter and calculates the base management fee payable with respect to such amount at the end of each fiscal quarter. As a result, a portion of the Company’s net investment income is included in its gross assets for the period between the date on which such income is earned and the date on which such income is distributed. Therefore, the Company’s net investment income used to calculate part of the Incentive Fee is also included in the amount of the Company’s gross assets used to calculate the 1.0% annual base management fee. The Company pays its Adviser an Incentive Fee with respect to its pre-incentive fee net investment income in each calendar quarter as follows:

Pursuant to the Waiver Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to waive its right to receive the Incentive Fee on pre-incentive fee net investment income to the extent necessary so that such Incentive Fee equals, and is calculated in the same manner as, the corresponding Incentive Fee on pre-incentive fee net investment income, if such Incentive Fee (i) were calculated based upon the Adviser receiving 10.0% (instead of 15.0%) of the applicable pre-incentive fee net investment income and (ii) did not include any “catch-up” feature in favor of the Adviser.

The second part of the Incentive Fee is determined and payable in arrears as of the end of each calendar year (or upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement, as of the termination date), and equals 15.0% of the Company’s realized capital gains, if any, on a cumulative basis from June 16, 2015, the effective date of the Company’s registration statement on Form 10 (file no. 000-55426), through the end of each calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital gain Incentive Fees with respect to each of the investments in the Company’s portfolio.

Pursuant to the Waiver Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to waive the right to receive the Incentive Fee on capital gains to the extent necessary so that such portion of the Incentive Fee equals, and is calculated in the same manner as, the corresponding Incentive Fee on capital gains, if such portion of the Incentive Fee were calculated based upon the Adviser receiving 10.0% (instead of 15.0%).

In addition, pursuant to the Waiver Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to waive the right to receive both components of the Incentive Fee to the extent necessary so that it does not receive Incentive Fees which are attributable to income and gains of the Company that exceed an annualized rate of 12.0% in any calendar quarter.

The waivers from the Adviser will remain effective until terminated earlier by either party upon 60 days’ prior written notice.

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, we do not pay any Capital Gains Incentive Fee in respect of unrealized capital appreciation in our portfolio. However, under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, we are required to accrue for the Capital Gain Incentive Fee on a quarterly basis as if such unrealized capital appreciation were realized in full at the end of each period. If the Capital Gain Incentive Fee Base, adjusted as required by GAAP to include unrealized appreciation, is positive at the end of a period, then GAAP and the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement require us to accrue a capital gain incentive fee equal to 20% of such amount, less the aggregate amount of actual capital gain incentive fees paid or capital gain incentive fees accrued under GAAP in all prior periods. If such amount is negative, then there is no accrual for such period. The resulting accrual under GAAP for a capital gain incentive fee payable in any period will result in additional expense if such cumulative amount is greater than in the prior period, or in a reversal of previously recorded expense if such cumulative amount is less than in the prior period. We can offer no assurance that any unrealized capital appreciation will be realized in the future.

Pursuant to a First Amendment to the Fee Waiver Agreement between the Company and the Adviser, entered as of January 1, 2025, between the Company and the Adviser, the Adviser has agreed to waive the right to Incentive Fees to the extent necessary so as not to receive any Incentive Fee that would result in the payment of expenses by the Company pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement exceeding 1.4% per annum of the Company's assets as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year (the "Partial Expense Cap"); provided, however, if the Adviser is not entitled to Incentive Fees during such fiscal year or such Incentive Fees are fully waived during such fiscal year, the Company shall remain liable for expenses payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 of the Advisory Agreement, notwithstanding the Partial Expense Cap. The following expenses of the Company are not subject to the Partial Expense Cap: (i) litigation costs payable by the Company, including indemnification expenses payable pursuant to Section 8 of the Investment Advisory Agreement; (ii) other extraordinary expenses incurred by the Company; and (iii) costs payable by the Company in connection with its incurrence of leverage.

For the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company recorded Incentive Fees related to net investment income of $5,282,552. Offsetting the Incentive Fees were waivers of the Incentive Fees related to net investment income of $3,743,484, as set forth within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded Incentive Fees related to net investment income of $5,747,461. Offsetting the Incentive Fees were waivers of the Incentive Fees related to net investment income of $3,616,835, as set forth within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded Incentive Fees related to net investment income of $5,758,363. Offsetting the Incentive Fees were waivers of the Incentive Fees related to net investment income of $3,597,910, as set forth within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

For the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company did not record any Incentive Fees related to capital gains.

Administrative Fee

The Company has also entered into an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) with Audax Management Company, LLC (the “Administrator”) pursuant to which the Administrator provides administrative services to the Company. Under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator performs, or oversees the performance of administrative services necessary for the operation of the Company, which include being responsible for the financial records which the Company is required to maintain and prepare reports filed with the SEC. In addition, the Administrator assists in determining and publishing the Company’s net asset value, oversees the preparation and filing of the Company’s tax returns and the printing and dissemination of reports to the Company’s stockholders, and generally oversees the payment of the Company’s expenses and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Company by others. The Company reimburses the Administrator for its allocable portion of the costs and expenses incurred by the Administrator for overhead in performance by the Administrator of its duties under the Administration Agreement, including the cost of facilities, office equipment and the Company’s allocable portion of cost of compensation and related expenses of its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer and their respective staffs, as well as any costs and expenses incurred by the Administrator relating to any administrative or operating services provided by the Administrator to the Company. Such costs are reflected as an administrative fee in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

The Company has also entered into a fee waiver agreement with the Administrator, pursuant to which the Administrator may waive, in whole or in part, its entitlement to receive reimbursements from the Company.

For each of the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded administrative fees of $265,000, as set forth within the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Related Party Fees

Other Agreements

The Company may invest alongside other clients of the Adviser and its affiliates in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with applicable law, SEC staff interpretations and the terms of the Company’s exemptive relief.