On June 8, 2018, the Company's stockholders approved the application of the modified asset coverage requirements set forth in Section 61(a) of the 1940 Act, which resulted in the reduction of the minimum asset coverage ratio applicable to the Company from 200.0% to 150.0% as of June 9, 2018 (which means the Company can borrow $2 for every $1 of its equity). As a result of the Company's exemptive relief received on November 5, 2014, the Company is permitted to exclude the SBA-guaranteed debentures issued by SBIC I, SBIC II and SBIC III, if any, from the definition of "senior security" for the 150.0% asset coverage ratio that the Company is required to maintain under the 1940 Act. The agreements governing the NMFC Credit Facility and certain of the Unsecured Notes (as defined below) contain certain covenants and terms, including a requirement that the Company not exceed a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65 to 1.00 at the time of incurring additional indebtedness and a requirement that the Company not exceed a secured debt ratio of 0.70 to 1.00 at any time. As of September 30, 2026, the Company’s asset coverage ratio was 184.03%.

Holdings Credit Facility—On October 24, 2017, the Company entered into the Third Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement (as amended from time to time, the "Loan and Security Agreement") among the Company, as the Collateral Manager, NMF Holdings, as the Borrower, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as the Administrative Agent and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the Lender and Collateral Custodian (the "Holdings Credit Facility"). As of the amendment on March 12, 2026, the maturity date of the Holdings Credit Facility is March 12, 2031, and the maximum facility amount is the lesser of the actual commitments of the lenders to make advances as of such date and the commitment amount. As of the amendment on March 12, 2026, the commitment amount is $450,000 from March 12, 2026 to October 26, 2026 and $350,000 from October 26, 2026 to March 12, 2031. On October 2, 2026, the Company elected to reduce the commitment amount to $350,000 in advance of the scheduled October 26, 2026 reduction date.

As of September 30, 2026, the maximum amount of revolving borrowings available under the Holdings Credit Facility is $450,000. Under the Holdings Credit Facility, NMF Holdings is permitted to borrow up to 35.0%, 45.0%, 55.0%, 67.5% or 70.0% of the purchase price of pledged assets, subject to approval by Wells Fargo Bank, National Association. The Holdings Credit Facility is non-recourse to the Company and is collateralized by all of the investments of NMF Holdings on an investment by investment basis. All fees associated with the origination, amending or upsizing of the Holdings Credit Facility are capitalized on the Company's Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities and charged against income as other financing expenses over the life of the Holdings Credit Facility. The Holdings Credit Facility contains certain customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default. In addition, the Holdings Credit Facility requires the Company to maintain a minimum asset coverage ratio of 150.0%. The covenants are generally not tied to mark to market fluctuations in the prices of NMF Holdings investments, but rather to the performance of the underlying portfolio companies.

As of the amendment on March 12, 2026, the Holdings Credit Facility bears interest at a rate of SOFR plus 1.85% per annum. From March 28, 2025 to March 11, 2026, the Holdings Credit Facility bore interest at a rate of SOFR plus 1.95% per annum. From July 29, 2024 to March 27, 2025, the Holdings Credit Facility bore interest at a rate of SOFR plus 2.15% per annum. The Holdings Credit Facility also charges a non-usage fee, based on the unused facility amount multiplied by the Non-Usage Fee Rate (as defined in the Loan and Security Agreement).


	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025			September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025
Interest expense	$	5,048		$	4,726		$	16,698		$	13,741
Non-usage fee	$	115		$	557		$	483		$	1,865
Amortization of financing costs	$	660		$	677		$	3,372		$	1,921
Weighted average interest rate	5.5		%	6.3		%	5.5		%	6.4		%
Effective interest rate	6.4		%	8.0		%	6.9		%	8.2		%
Average debt outstanding	$	359,174		$	293,932		$	398,377		$	285,184

NMFC Credit Facility—The Second Amended and Restated Senior Secured Revolving Credit Agreement (as amended from time to time, and together with the related guarantee and security agreement, the "RCA"), dated September 30, 2024, among the Company, as the Borrower, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, as the Administrative Agent, and the Lenders, as outlined in the RCA (the "NMFC Credit Facility"), is structured as a senior secured revolving credit facility. The NMFC Credit Facility is guaranteed by certain of the Company's domestic subsidiaries and proceeds from the NMFC Credit Facility may be used for general corporate purposes, including the funding of portfolio investments. As of the amendment on July 30, 2026, the maturity date for the Extending Lenders (as defined in the RCA) of the NMFC Credit Facility is July 30, 2031 and the maturity date for Non-Extending Lenders (as defined in the RCA) is September 28, 2029.

As of the amendment on July 30, 2026, the maximum amount of revolving borrowings available under the NMFC Credit Facility is $537,100, of which $487,100 had been committed by Extending Lenders and $50,000 had been committed by Non-Extending Lenders. Prior to the amendment on July 30, 2026, the maximum amount of revolving borrowings available under the NMFC Credit Facility was $527,100. The Company is permitted to borrow at various advance rates depending on the type of portfolio investment, as outlined in the RCA. All fees associated with the origination and amending of the NMFC Credit Facility are capitalized on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities and charged against income as other financing expenses over the life of the NMFC Credit Facility. The NMFC Credit Facility contains certain customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, including certain financial covenants related to asset coverage and liquidity and other maintenance covenants.

As of the amendment on July 30, 2026, the NMFC Credit Facility generally bears interest at a rate of SOFR, SONIA or EURIBOR, plus any applicable credit spread adjustment, plus either 1.90% per annum or 2.00% per annum, depending on the terms outlined in the amendment, and charges a commitment fee, based on the unused facility amount multiplied by 0.375% per annum (as defined in the RCA). From September 30, 2024 to July 29, 2026, the NMFC Credit Facility generally bore interest at a rate of SOFR, SONIA or EURIBOR, plus any applicable credit spread adjustment, plus 1.90% per annum or 2.10% per annum, subject to the terms outlined in the RCA, and charged a commitment fee, based on the unused facility amount multiplied by 0.375% per annum (as defined in the RCA). As of the amendment on June 5, 2024, the Canadian Dollar Offered Rate was replaced with the Canadian Overnight Repo Rate Average term rate plus a credit spread adjustment as a benchmark rate for certain assets.


	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025			September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025
Interest expense	$	371		$	390		$	2,248		$	1,149
Non-usage fee	$	482		$	476		$	1,340		$	1,563
Amortization of financing costs	$	223		$	189		$	633		$	560
Weighted average interest rate	4.8		%	4.7		%	5.1		%	5.0		%
Effective interest rate	13.9		%	13.5		%	9.7		%	14.6		%
Average debt outstanding	$	30,658		$	30,991		$	58,155		$	29,879

As of September 30, 2026, the outstanding balance on the NMFC Credit Facility was $30,212, which included €16,512 denominated in Euro ("EUR") and £8,666 denominated in British Pound Sterling ("GBP") that has been translated to U.S. dollars. As of December 31, 2025, the outstanding balance on the NMFC Credit Facility was $81,074, which included €16,512 denominated in EUR and £8,666 denominated in GBP that has been translated to U.S. dollars.

Unsecured Management Company Revolver—The Unsecured Management Company Revolver is structured as a discretionary unsecured revolving credit facility. The proceeds from the Unsecured Management Company Revolver may be used for general corporate purposes, including the funding of portfolio investments. As of the amendment on October 27, 2025, the maturity date of the Unsecured Management Company Revolver is December 31, 2030.

As of the amendment on October 31, 2023, the Unsecured Management Company Revolver bears interest at the Applicable Federal Rate. As of September 30, 2026, the maximum amount of revolving borrowings available under the Unsecured Management Company Revolver was $100,000 and no borrowings were outstanding. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2026, amortization of financing costs was $1 and $4, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, amortization of financing costs was $1 and $3, respectively.

2022 Convertible Notes — On November 2, 2022, the Company closed a private offering of $200,000 aggregate principal amount of unsecured convertible notes (the “2022 Convertible Notes”), pursuant to an indenture, dated August 20, 2018, as supplemented by a third supplemental indenture thereto, dated November 2, 2022 (together the “2018C Indenture”). On March 14, 2023, the Company issued an additional $60,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Convertible Notes. These additional 2022 Convertible Notes constitute a further issuance of, rank equally in right of payment with, and form a single series with the $200,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Convertible Notes that the Company issued in November 2022.

On January 21, 2025, the Company launched a tender offer to purchase, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated January 21, 2025, up to $260,000 aggregate principal amount of the outstanding 2022 Convertible Notes for cash in an amount equal to $1.01 per $1.00 principal amount of Notes purchased (exclusive of accrued and unpaid interest on such notes) (the "2022 Convertible Notes Tender Offer"). The 2022 Convertible Notes Tender Offer expired on February 19, 2025. As of the expiration of the 2022 Convertible Notes Tender Offer, $1,216 aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Convertible Notes were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the 2022 Convertible Notes Tender Offer. The Company accepted for purchase all of the 2022 Convertible Notes that were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at the expiration of the 2022 Convertible Notes Tender Offer. Following settlement of the 2022 Convertible Notes Tender Offer on February 24, 2025, approximately $258,784 aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Convertible Notes remained outstanding. On June 27, 2025, the Company was notified that $7 of aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Convertible Notes were being converted to 514 shares of common stock at a conversion price of $13.61 per share, with the transaction settling on July 2, 2025.

The 2022 Convertible Notes matured on October 15, 2025, pursuant to the terms of the 2018C Indenture. The Company could not redeem the 2022 Convertible Notes prior to July 15, 2025. Prior to their maturity, on or after July 15, 2025, the 2022 Convertible Notes were redeemable for cash, in whole or from time to time in part, at the Company's option at a redemption price, subject to an exception for redemption dates occurring after a record date but on or prior to the interest payment date, equal to the sum of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the 2022 Convertible Notes to be redeemed, (ii) accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the redemption date and (iii) a make-whole premium.

Prior to the maturity of the 2022 Convertible Notes, the conversion rate was subject to adjustment upon certain events, such as stock splits and combinations, mergers, spin-offs, increases in dividends in excess of $0.30 per share per quarter for the 2022 Convertible Notes and certain changes in control. Certain of these adjustments, including adjustments for increases in dividends, were subject to a conversion price floor of $12.38 per share for the 2022 Convertible Notes. In no event would the total number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion exceed 80.7754 per $1 principal amount of the 2022 Convertible Notes. The Company had determined that the embedded conversion option in the 2022 Convertible Notes was not required to be separately accounted for as a derivative under GAAP.

The 2022 Convertible Notes were unsecured obligations and ranked senior in right of payment to the Company’s existing and future indebtedness, if any, that was expressly subordinated in right of payment to the 2022 Convertible Notes; equal in right of payment to the Company’s existing and future unsecured indebtedness that was not so subordinated; effectively junior in right of payment to any of the Company’s secured indebtedness (including existing unsecured indebtedness that the Company later secured) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by the Company’s subsidiaries and financing vehicles. As reflected in Note 11. Earnings (Loss) Per Share, the issuance was considered part of the if-converted method for calculation of diluted earnings per share.


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
		September 30, 2025(1)				September 30, 2025(1)
Interest expense		$	4,852			$	14,570
Amortization of financing costs		$	430			$	1,282
Amortization of premium		$	(29)			$	(74)
Weighted average interest rate		7.5		%		7.5		%
Effective interest rate		8.1		%		8.1		%
Average debt outstanding		$	258,777			$	259,022

On January 29, 2021, the Company issued $200,000 in aggregate principal amount of five-year unsecured notes that matured on January 29, 2026 (the "January 2026 Notes") pursuant to an amended and restated note purchase agreement, dated September 30, 2016 ("the NPA") and a fifth supplement to the NPA (the "Fifth Supplement"). On January 29, 2026, the Company fully repaid $200,000 in aggregate principal amount of issued and outstanding January 2026 Notes. On June 15, 2022, the Company issued $75,000 in aggregate principal amount of five-year unsecured notes that mature on June 15, 2027 (the "June 2027 Notes") pursuant to the NPA and a sixth supplement to the NPA (the "Sixth Supplement"). The NPA provides for future issuances of unsecured notes in separate series or tranches.

The January 2026 Notes bore interest at an annual rate of 3.875%. The June 2027 Notes bear interest at an annual rate of 5.900%, payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year. These interest rates are subject to increase in the event that: (i) subject to certain exceptions, the underlying unsecured notes or the Company ceases to have an investment grade rating or (ii) the aggregate amount of the Company’s unsecured debt falls below $150,000. In each such event, the Company has the option to offer to prepay the underlying unsecured notes at par, in which case holders of the underlying unsecured notes who accept the offer would not receive the increased interest rate. In addition, the Company is obligated to offer to prepay the underlying unsecured notes at par if the Investment Adviser, or an affiliate thereof, ceases to be the Company’s investment adviser or if certain change in control events occur with respect to the Investment Adviser.

The NPA contains customary terms and conditions for unsecured notes issued in a private placement, including, without limitation, an option to offer to prepay all or a portion of the unsecured notes under its governance at par (plus a make-whole amount, if applicable), affirmative and negative covenants such as information reporting, maintenance of the Company’s status as a BDC under the 1940 Act and a RIC under the Code, minimum stockholders’ equity, minimum asset coverage ratio, and prohibitions on certain fundamental changes at the Company or any subsidiary guarantor, as well as customary events of default with customary cure and notice, including, without limitation, nonpayment, misrepresentation in a material respect, breach of covenant, cross-default under other indebtedness of the Company or certain significant subsidiaries, certain judgments and orders, and certain events of bankruptcy. The Fifth Supplement and Sixth Supplement both include additional financial covenants related to asset coverage as well as other terms.

On November 13, 2023, the Company closed a registered public offering of $115,000 in aggregate principal amount of 8.250% notes that mature on November 15, 2028 (the "November 2028 Notes"), pursuant to a base indenture and fourth supplemental indenture thereto dated November 13, 2023 (the "Fourth Supplemental Indenture") between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee.

On February 1, 2024, the Company issued $300,000 in aggregate principal amount of its 6.875% notes that mature on February 1, 2029 (the "February 2029 Notes") pursuant to a base indenture and fifth supplemental indenture thereto dated February 1, 2024 (the "Fifth Supplemental Indenture"). The February 2029 Notes bear interest at an annual rate of 6.875%,

On September 26, 2024, the Company issued $300,000 in aggregate principal amount of its 6.200% notes that mature on October 15, 2027 (the "October 2027 Notes", together with the January 2026 Notes, June 2027 Notes, November 2028 Notes and February 2029 Notes, the "Unsecured Notes") pursuant to a base indenture and sixth supplemental indenture thereto dated September 26, 2024 (together, with the Fourth Supplemental Indenture and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, the "Indenture"). The October 2027 Notes bear interest at an annual rate of 6.200%, payable semi-annually on April 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on April 15, 2025. The Company may redeem the October 2027 Notes, in whole or in part, at any time prior to October 15, 2027, at par plus a "make-whole" premium and accrued interest.

On June 18, 2026, the Company entered into the seventh supplement to the NPA (the “Seventh Supplement”) with certain institutional investors, providing for the private placement of $150,000 in aggregate principal amount of senior notes, consisting of (i) $40,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.28% Senior Fixed Rate Notes, Tranche A, due October 2028 (the “October 2028 Notes”), (ii) $35,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.76% Senior Fixed Rate Notes, Tranche B, due October 2031 (the “October 2031A Notes”), and (iii) $75,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Floating Rate Notes, Tranche C, due October 2031, which bear interest at a rate of SOFR plus 3.66% (the “October 2031B Notes”). The closing and funding of the October 2028 Notes, October 2031A Notes and October 2031B Notes occurred on October 1, 2026. As of September 30, 2026, none of the October 2028 Notes, October 2031A and October 2031B Notes had been funded under the NPA, as supplemented by the Seventh Supplement.

The Unsecured Notes are unsecured obligations and rank senior in right of payment to the Company’s existing and future indebtedness, if any, that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Unsecured Notes; equal in right of payment to the Company’s existing and future unsecured indebtedness that is not so subordinated; effectively junior in right of payment to any of the Company’s secured indebtedness (including existing unsecured indebtedness that the Company later secures) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by the Company’s subsidiaries and financing vehicles.


	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025			September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025
Interest expense(1)	$	13,505		$	16,385		$	40,748		$	47,979
Amortization of financing costs	$	766		$	827		$	2,301		$	2,440
Amortization of discount	$	314		$	314		$	932		$	932
Weighted average interest rate	6.7		%	6.5		%	6.6		%	6.5		%
Effective interest rate	7.4		%	7.1		%	7.2		%	6.9		%
Average debt outstanding	$	790,000		$	990,000		$	811,245		$	990,000

In connection with the issuance of the February 2029 Notes, the Company entered into an interest rate swap on March 22, 2024 with Morgan Stanley Bank N.A., in which the Company receives a fixed interest rate of 6.875% and pays a floating interest rate of one-month SOFR plus 2.8183% on the notional amount of $300,000. In connection with the issuance of the October 2027 Notes, the Company entered into an interest rate swap on September 23, 2024 with Morgan Stanley Bank N.A., in which the Company receives a fixed interest rate of 6.200% and pays a floating rate of one-month SOFR plus 2.8820% on the notional amount of $300,000. The Company designates interest rate swaps as fair value hedges in a qualifying fair value hedge accounting relationship to mitigate risk of changes in the fair value of financial liabilities due to interest rate risk. As a result, the Company will present changes in fair value of the hedging instruments and the related hedged items in interest expense within the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The Company recorded and formally documented all hedging relationships, its risk management objective and strategy upon entering into each hedging relationship. For each hedging relationship, the Company performs quarterly quantitative assessments of the hedge effectiveness to assess that the hedging relationships are highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values of hedged items and whether the relationship is expected to continue to be highly effective in the future. To the extent

the changes in fair value of the derivative do not offset the changes in fair value of the hedged item, the difference is recognized. The corresponding adjustment to the hedged asset or liability is included in the basis of the hedged item, while the corresponding change in the fair value of the derivative instrument is recorded as an adjustment to "Derivative assets at fair value" or "Derivative liabilities at fair value", as applicable.

If a hedge relationship is de-designated or if hedge accounting is discontinued because the hedged item no longer exists, the derivative will continue to be recorded as a "Derivative asset at fair value" or "Derivative liability at fair value" in the Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities at its fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation).


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2026		September 30, 2025		September 30, 2026		September 30, 2025
(Losses) gains on fair value hedging relationship:
Interest rate swap contract:
Interest expense recognized on derivative	$	(206)	$	(1,182)	$	(242)	$	(3,184)
(Losses) gains recognized on derivative	(6,362)		719		(14,576)		12,436
Gains (losses) recognized on hedged item	6,347		(698)		14,504		(11,564)
Net expense recognized on fair value hedge	$	(221)	$	(1,161)	$	(314)	$	(2,312)

The Company’s derivative instrument contracts are subject to ISDA Master Agreements which contain certain covenants and other provisions upon the occurrence of specific credit-risk-related events which may allow the counterparties to terminate derivatives contracts if the Company fails to maintain sufficient asset coverage for its derivative contracts or upon certain credit events. As a result, the hedging relationship terminates and is immediately accelerated and deemed payable pursuant to the ISDA Master Agreement.

The aggregate fair values of all derivative instruments with any credit-risk-related contingent features that was a net liability of $9,296 as of September 30, 2026 and a net asset of $5,281 as of December 31, 2025, for which the Company had posted collateral of $60 for September 30, 2026 and Morgan Stanley Bank N.A. had posted collateral of $14,630 for December 31, 2025. The Company does not have any derivatives that are not designated as hedging instruments.

These SBIC licenses allow each of SBIC I, SBIC II and SBIC III to obtain leverage in the form of SBA-guaranteed debentures, subject to the SBA's customary commitment and draw application procedures. SBA debentures are non-recourse, interest-only debentures with interest payable semi-annually and have a ten-year maturity. The principal amount of SBA-guaranteed debentures is not required to be paid prior to maturity but may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The interest rate of SBA-guaranteed debentures is fixed on a semi-annual basis at a market-driven spread over U.S. Treasury Notes with ten-year maturities. The SBA, as a creditor, will have a superior claim to the assets of SBIC I, SBIC II and SBIC III over the Company's stockholders in the event SBIC I, SBIC II and SBIC III are liquidated or the SBA exercises its remedies upon an event of default.

Issuance Date

Maturity Date

Repayment Date

Repayment Amount

Fixed SBA-guaranteed debentures(1):

March 25, 2015

March 1, 2025

February 28, 2025

37,500

September 23, 2015

September 1, 2025

August 29, 2025

66,295

March 23, 2016

March 1, 2026

February 27, 2026

13,950

September 21, 2016

September 1, 2026

August 31, 2026

4,000

September 20, 2017

September 1, 2027

August 31, 2026

13,000

March 21, 2018

March 1, 2028

August 31, 2026

15,255

Fixed SBA-guaranteed debentures(2):

September 19, 2018

September 1, 2028

March 2, 2026

13,000

September 19, 2018

September 1, 2028

August 31, 2026

2,000

September 25, 2019

September 1, 2029

August 31, 2026

15,000

Total SBA-guaranteed debentures repaid

180,000

As of September 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, SBIC II had regulatory capital of $75,000 and $75,000, respectively, and SBA-guaranteed debentures outstanding of $120,000 and $150,000, respectively. The SBA-guaranteed debentures incur upfront fees of 3.435%, which consist of a 1.00% commitment fee and a 2.435% issuance discount.


Issuance Date	Maturity Date	Debenture Amount		Interest Rate		SBA Annual Charge
Fixed SBA-guaranteed debentures(1):
September 25, 2019	September 1, 2029	$	4,000	2.283	%	0.222	%
March 25, 2020	March 1, 2030	41,000		2.078	%	0.222	%
March 25, 2020	March 1, 2030	24,000		2.078	%	0.275	%
September 23, 2020	September 1, 2030	51,000		1.034	%	0.275	%
Total SBA-guaranteed debentures		$	120,000

Prior to pooling, the SBA-guaranteed debentures bear interest at an interim interest rate equal to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago's Fixed Regular Advance Rate (Bank Advance Rate), plus 41 basis points. Once pooled (which, effective June 2026 occurs quarterly each year), the SBA-guaranteed debentures bear interest at a fixed rate that is set to the current 10-year treasury rate plus a spread at each pooling date.


	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025			September 30, 2026			September 30, 2025
Interest expense	$	843		$	1,588		$	2,910		$	5,247
Amortization of financing costs	$	415		$	203		$	818		$	659
Weighted average interest rate	2.2		%	2.6		%	2.3		%	2.7		%
Effective interest rate	3.3		%	3.0		%	2.9		%	3.0		%
Average debt outstanding	$	153,194		$	240,882		$	169,667		$	263,319

The SBIC program is designed to stimulate the flow of private investor capital into eligible small businesses, as defined by SBA regulations that, among other things: require SBICs to invest in eligible small businesses and invest at least 25.0% of investment capital in eligible smaller enterprises (as defined by the SBA regulations), place certain limitations on the financing terms of investments, regulate the types of financing provided by an SBIC, prohibit investments in small businesses with certain characteristics or in certain industries, and require capitalization thresholds that limit distributions to the Company. SBICs are subject to periodic examination by an SBA examiner to determine the SBIC's compliance with the relevant SBA regulations and an annual financial audit of its financial statements that are prepared on a basis of accounting other than GAAP (such as ASC 820) and in accordance with the SBA's SBIC Valuation Guidelines by an independent auditor.

Leverage risk factors—The Company utilizes and may utilize leverage to the maximum extent permitted by the law for investment and other general business purposes. The Company's lenders will have fixed dollar claims on certain assets that are superior to the claims of the Company's common stockholders, and the Company would expect such lenders to seek recovery against these assets in the event of a default. The use of leverage also magnifies the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested. Leverage may magnify interest rate risk (particularly on the Company's fixed-rate investments), which is the risk that the prices of portfolio investments will fall or rise if market interest rates for those types of securities rise or fall. As a result, leverage may cause greater changes in the Company's net asset value. Similarly, leverage may cause a sharper decline in the Company's income than if the Company had not borrowed. Such a decline could negatively affect the Company's ability to make distributions to its stockholders. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique. The Company's ability to service any debt incurred will depend largely on financial performance and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures.