THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.

Transcription

1 THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. IT CONTAINS PROPOSALS RELATING TO BLACKSTONE / GSO LOAN FINANCING LIMITED (THE COMPANY ) ON WHICH YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO VOTE. If you are in any doubt about the contents of this document or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek immediately your own personal financial advice from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial advisor authorised under the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 or, if you are in a territory outside the United Kingdom, from an appropriately authorised independent financial adviser. If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your shares in the Company (the Shares ), please send this Circular, together with the accompanying proxy appointment form (the Proxy Appointment Form ), at once to the purchaser or transferee of such shares, or to the stockbroker, banker or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected, for onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee. However, such documents should not be distributed, forwarded or transmitted in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa or Japan or into any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws and regulations in such other jurisdiction. If you have sold or transferred only part of your holding of Shares, please consult the bank, stockbroker or other agent through which the sale or transfer was effected. BLACKSTONE / GSO LOAN FINANCING LIMITED (a closed-ended investment company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of Jersey with registered number ) NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY DISAPPLICATION OF PRE-EMPTION RIGHTS AND APPROVAL OF THE ISSUE OF SHARES ADOPTION OF NEW ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION APPROVAL OF RELATED PARTY TRANSACTION The Proposals described in this Circular are conditional on approval from Shareholders, which is being sought at the extraordinary general meeting of the Company to be held at 2.00 p.m. on 29 February 2016 at the offices of BNP Paribas Securities Services, Liberté House, La Motte Street, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4SY (the Extraordinary General Meeting or EGM ). The notice ( Notice ) in respect of the Extraordinary General Meeting is set out at the end of this Circular. The Proxy Appointment Form enclosed with this Circular must be lodged at Capita Asset Services, PXS, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, BR3 4TU at least 48 hours before the commencement of the meeting. Completion of a Proxy Appointment Form will not preclude a Shareholder from attending, speaking and voting in person at the Extraordinary General Meeting. This Circular should be read as a whole. Your attention is drawn in particular to the letter from the Chair of the Company which is set out on pages 3 to 9 of this Circular and which recommends that you vote in favour of the Resolutions to be proposed at the Extraordinary General Meeting. Your attention is also drawn to the section entitled Action to be Taken on page 9 of this Circular. 5 February 2016

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Part 1 Letter from the Chair 3 Part 2 Investment Objective and Policy 10 Part 3 Risk Disclosures 17 Definitions 27 Notice of EGM 31 EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS* Date of the Notice 5 February 2016 Latest time and date for receipt of Proxy Appointment Forms Extraordinary General Meeting 27 February 2016 at 2.00 p.m. 29 February 2016 at 2.00 p.m. * References to times in this Circular are to London times unless otherwise stated. Any changes to the expected timetable will be notified by the Company through a Regulatory Information Service. 2

3 PART 1 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR BLACKSTONE / GSO LOAN FINANCING LIMITED Charlotte Valeur (Chair) Philip Austin Gary Clark Joanna Dentskevich Registered Office: Liberté House La Motte Street St Helier Jersey JE2 4SY 5 February 2016 Dear Shareholder, NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY DISAPPLICATION OF PRE-EMPTION RIGHTS AND APPROVAL OF THE ISSUE OF SHARES ADOPTION OF NEW ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION APPROVAL OF RELATED PARTY TRANSACTION 1. INTRODUCTION I am writing to provide you with details of the Extraordinary General Meeting which will be held at the offices of BNP Paribas Securities Services, Liberté House, La Motte Street, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4SY at 2.00 p.m. (London time) on 29 February This Circular sets out details of, and seeks your approval for: (i) certain amendments to the Company s investment objective and policy; (ii) the issue of up to 500 million Shares for a period until the end of the Company's annual general meeting to be held in 2017 and the disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect thereof; (iii) the adoption of the New Articles in order to incorporate certain administrative and legislative amendments; and (iv) the potential subscription by an entity in the Blackstone Group for Shares (together, the Proposals ). Further details of the Proposals and the relevant corresponding Resolutions which will be put to Shareholders at the EGM are set out below. Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting is set out at the end of this Circular and a Proxy Appointment Form is enclosed with this Circular. 2. BACKGROUND The Company was launched on 18 July 2014 with Euro Shares in issue and having total initial net assets of million. As at 31 December 2015, the Company s net assets were valued at 326 million. Since launch, the Company has generated total net asset value returns of 5.03 per cent. (on an annualised basis, as at 31 December 2015) and 8.11 per cent. in The Company, through Blackstone / GSO Corporate Funding Limited ( BGCF ), currently invests predominantly in floating rate senior secured loans, both directly and indirectly through CLO Income Notes. The Company is now seeking Shareholder approval to permit investment in all debt tranches of CLOs and in Loan Warehouses. The Company is also seeking Shareholder approval to enable it to invest by way of exposure (directly or indirectly) to additional risk retention companies or entities established from time to time ( Risk Retention Companies ) (currently the investment objective and policy only permits the Company to invest by way of exposure to BGCF). 3

4 The amendments to the investment objective and policy will enable the Company to invest, through BGCF, in Blackstone / GSO US Corporate Funding, Ltd. ( U.S. MOA ), a newly-formed entity, in which an entity in the Blackstone Group will be the other investor and over which DFM will exercise control. U.S. MOA may, in accordance with the amended investment objective and policy, invest in senior secured loans and CLO Securities; however, the U.S. MOA will not make investments in Loan Warehouses. It is expected that an entity in the Blackstone Group will have a controlling financial interest in U.S. MOA for the purposes of U.S. GAAP and, as such, the purchase by U.S. MOA of CLO Securities will enable DFM or DFME to comply with their U.S. risk retention obligations in connection with CLOs that they sponsor. U.S. MOA may also seek debt financing in connection with these investments. Further details of these proposed changes are set out below. In addition to the Company s investment in profit participating notes issued by BGCF pursuant to the EU NPA ( EU PPNs ), it is anticipated that BGCF will raise additional funding (expected to be in U.S. Dollars but which may be in Euros), to be invested by BGCF in accordance with its investment policy (which mirrors that of the Company). Such additional funding will rank pari passu with the EU PPNs. Separately, as announced on 14 December 2015, on the occurrence of suitable market conditions, the Company may also consider raising additional funding through the issue of new Shares to take advantage of the continued attractive investment and funding environment. It is anticipated that any such issue of Shares would be by way of a 12 month placing programme. Any such fundraising will only be carried out when the Directors consider that it is in the best interests of Shareholders and the Company as a whole. Relevant factors in making such a determination will include net asset performance, share price rating and perceived investor demand. Any new Shares will only be issued at prices greater than the latest published NAV per Share and any such fundraise is therefore expected to be accretive to the NAV per Share. Any new Shares may, at the Directors discretion, be denominated in either U.S. Dollars or Euros. Accordingly, the Directors consider it appropriate now to seek the requisite Shareholder authority which would allow them to carry out the fundraising in due course, subject to market conditions. The Directors believe that seeking such Shareholder authority in advance will allow them to respond promptly to investor demand and also to conduct the fundraise in a cost-efficient manner without needing to convene an additional extraordinary general meeting. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPANY S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY The Company is seeking Shareholder approval to amend the existing investment objective and policy to provide the Company greater flexibility by: permitting investment in all debt tranches of CLOs and in Loan Warehouses (currently the investment objective and policy only permits investment in CLO Income Notes); and enabling the Company to invest by way of exposure (directly or indirectly) to one or more Risk Retention Companies (such term including BGCF) (currently the investment objective and policy only permits the Company to invest by way of exposure to BGCF). The U.S. Risk Retention Regulations were finalised in December 2014 and will become effective in December The addition of a U.S. Risk Retention Company to the underlying structure will give the Company the ability to invest, through BGCF, in U.S. loans or European loans, whichever are more commercially attractive, and finance those loans via risk retention compliant CLOs in the U.S. or Europe, whichever offers more efficient cost of capital. The amendments to the Company s investment objective and policy are designed to give the Company the ability to take advantage of these opportunities, while also providing exposure to CLO Securities (in addition to CLO Income Notes, in which the Company can currently invest pursuant to the existing investment objective and policy) and Loan Warehouses. In order to mirror the domicile of loans permitted within CLOs, the amended investment objective and policy will allow for a portion of the loans in which Risk Retention Companies may invest to be domiciled outside of the U.S. or Europe. It is, however, expected that loans domiciled in the U.S. or Europe would be a substantial majority of the loans in which Risk Retention Companies invest. Investments by BGCF in Loan Warehouses will be in first loss positions or the warehouse equity in Loan Warehouses managed by DFME or DFM (or any affiliates), which investment may be alongside other prospective investors in such Loan Warehouses. Such Loan Warehouses are expected to be refinanced into 4

5 CLO transactions, in which BGCF or another Risk Retention Company may make a retention investment. GSO expects that the ability to invest in Loan Warehouses will provide BGCF with attractive returns during portfolio construction of a CLO, and assist BGCF in implementing its investment policy (which mirrors the investment policy of the Company). To the extent attributable to the Company, the aggregate value of investments made by BGCF or other Risk Retention Companies in any single externally financed warehouse (net of any directly attributable financing) shall not exceed 20 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment, and in all externally financed warehouses taken together (net of any directly attributable financing) shall not exceed 30 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. These limitations shall only apply to BGCF and the other Risk Retention Companies in aggregate and not to BGCF or the other Risk Retention Companies individually. In order to meet the requirements of the relevant European and/or U.S. risk retention rules, the Risk Retention Companies will retain 5 per cent. of the credit risk of the securitised exposures of each CLO, which may be held as: (a) CLO Income Notes representing at least 5 per cent. of the credit risk relating to the assets collateralising the CLO (the horizontal strip ); or (b) not less than 5 per cent. of the principal amount of each of the tranches of CLO Securities in each such CLO (the vertical strip ). In the case of deals structured to be compliant with the U.S. risk retention rules, the retention by a Risk Retention Company (which in this context only shall not include BGCF) may be structured as a combination of a horizontal strip and a vertical strip. Whilst not a requirement of the European risk retention rules, in the case of European CLOs where BGCF intends to hold a horizontal strip, it will hold between 51 per cent. and 100 per cent. of the CLO Income Notes issued by each such CLO. Vertical strips in CLOs in which Risk Retention Companies may invest are expected to be financed partly through term finance for investment-grade CLO Securities, with the balance being provided by the relevant Risk Retention Company investing in such CLO. This term financing may be full-recourse, non-mark to market, long-term financing which may, among other things, match the maturity of the relevant CLO or match the reinvestment period or non-call period of the relevant CLO. In particular, and although not forming part of the Company s investment policy, the following levels of, or limitations on, leverage are expected in relation to investments made by Risk Retention Companies: senior secured loans may be levered up to 2.5x with term finance; investments in first loss positions or the warehouse equity in Loan Warehouses will not be levered; CLO Income Notes will not be levered; investments in CLO Securities rated BBB- and above at the time of issue may be funded entirely with term finance; and investments in a vertical strip may be levered x, with term finance as described above. To the extent that they are financed, vertical strips are anticipated to require less capital than horizontal strips, which is expected to result in more efficient use of the Risk Retention Companies capital. In addition, since the return profile on financed vertical strips is different to retained CLO Income Notes, GSO believes that vertical strips are more robust through a market downturn, although projected IRRs may be slightly lower. However, an investment in vertical strips is not expected to impact the Company s stated target return, based on current market conditions, of an annualised mid-teen total return over the medium term. Net investment in vertical strips, to the extent attributable to the Company, will be restricted to 15 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. This limitation shall apply to investments made by BGCF and the other Risk Retention Companies in aggregate and not to BGCF or the other Risk Retention Companies individually. A comparison of the Company s existing investment objective and policy against the proposed investment objective and policy is set out in Section A of Part 2 of this Circular. A clean version of the proposed investment objective and policy is set out in Section B of Part 2 of this Circular. 5

6 4. DISAPPLICATION OF PRE-EMPTION RIGHTS AND APPROVAL OF THE ISSUE OF SHARES As announced on 14 December 2015, the Company is considering raising additional capital through an issue of new Shares. In order to issue additional Shares without first offering them to existing Shareholders in proportion to their holdings, as set out in Article 2.16 of the Existing Articles, the Directors require specific authority from Shareholders. Therefore, in connection with the potential issue of new Shares, the Company is seeking Shareholder authority to issue and to disapply such pre-emption rights, for an aggregate of 500 million Shares (which may be denominated in either U.S. Dollars or Euros). The Directors believe that the disapplication of pre-emption rights for, and approval of the issue of, up to 500 million Shares in connection with the potential fundraise should yield the following principal benefits: (i) provide additional capital which will enable the Company to benefit from the continued investment opportunities in the market; (ii) potential to enhance the NAV per Share through new share issuance at a premium to NAV per Share, after the related costs have been deducted; (iii) grow the Company, thereby spreading operating costs over a larger capital base, which should reduce the total expense ratio; and (iv) increase the number of Shares in issue, which may provide the Shares with additional liquidity. Accordingly, the Directors are recommending that Shareholders vote in favour of the disapplication of pre-emption rights and approval of the issue of Shares. The issue price of any new Shares will be calculated by reference to the latest published NAV per Share, and shall be announced in connection with any potential fundraising. Shares will only be issued at a premium to the latest published NAV per Share. A deduction will be made from the proceeds of the issue of Shares to cover the costs and expenses of the fundraise. The Company does not at the current time hold any Shares in treasury. If Resolution 2 (as defined in paragraph 9 of this letter) is passed by Shareholders, the Company s authority to issue Shares on a non pre-emptive basis will expire at the end of the annual general meeting to be held by the Company in 2017, unless previously renewed, varied or revoked by the Shareholders in general meeting. If Resolution 2 is passed, it will replace any existing unused disapplication of pre-emption rights or approval of issue of Shares. 5. RISK DISCLOSURES Shareholders should read and consider the risk disclosures relating to the proposed amendments to the existing investment objective and policy, set out in Part 3 of this Circular. These risk disclosures relate primarily to the proposed amendments to the existing investment objective and policy and should be considered in conjunction with the risk factors set out in the prospectus of the Company dated 10 July 2014 and in the subsequent half yearly and annual reports of the Company. In particular, Shareholders should note that several of the risk factors set out in the prospectus of the Company dated 10 July 2014 relating to: (i) BGCF, apply equally to other Risk Retention Companies; and (ii) investments in CLO Income Notes and senior secured loans, apply equally to investments in CLO Securities and Loan Warehouses. The risk disclosures set out in Part 3 of this Circular do not purport to be exhaustive and Shareholders should review Part 3 of this Circular in its entirety and consult with their professional advisers. There may be additional material risks relating to the proposed investment objective and policy that the Company does not consider to be material or of which the Company is not aware. 6. ADOPTION OF NEW ARTICLES The Company is also taking the opportunity to make certain administrative changes to the Existing Articles. In particular, it is proposed to permit the Directors (at their discretion) to determine that with effect from the EGM, the Annual Report and Half Yearly Report of the Company shall be published on a website notified to Shareholders, rather than being sent by post. However, should a Shareholder prefer to receive the Annual Report or Half Yearly Report by post and has informed the Company of this preference, a copy of the Annual Report and Half Yearly Report will be posted to the Shareholder in accordance with the New Articles. The 6

7 Board feels that this amendment is appropriate, as a number of announcements in respect of the Company (including monthly reports and publication of the Company s Net Asset Value) are already published on a website, and is customary for a fund such as the Company. In addition, certain other amendments are also being proposed to the Existing Articles which are intended to reflect recent legislative amendments to the Companies Law. 7. BLACKSTONE RELATED PARTY TRANSACTION As noted above, the Company may choose to undertake a fundraising over the coming months by way of a 12 month placing programme. It is possible that an entity in the Blackstone Group may subscribe for Shares under such a fundraising. The amount of such subscription is not currently known and will depend, inter alia, on the amount subscribed by other investors. However, any such participation will be subject to an overall limit such that entities in the Blackstone Group may (in aggregate) acquire up to 15 per cent. of the new Shares which may be issued pursuant to the placing programme. Any future fundraise will be open to other investors alongside such entity in the Blackstone Group, and all placees, including such entity in the Blackstone Group, will subscribe to new Shares on the same terms in relation to any particular placing. Blackstone Treasury Asia Pte. Ltd, an entity in the Blackstone Group, currently owns 50,000,000 Euro Shares, being approximately per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company. Blackstone Treasury Asia Pte. Ltd is therefore a substantial shareholder and a related party of the Company under Chapter 11 of the Listing Rules and under Chapter 7 of the CISE Listing Rules. Whilst the Company is not subject to the Listing Rules, as a matter of best practice and good corporate governance, the Company conducts its affairs in accordance a number of key provisions of the Listing Rules in such manner as they would apply to the Company were it admitted to the Official List maintained by the UK Listing Authority under Chapter 15 of the Listing Rules. Specifically, the Company has elected to comply, to the extent reasonably practicable, with Chapter 11 of the Listing Rules regarding Related Party Transactions (as defined therein). The Company is also listed on the Official List of the Channel Islands Securities Exchange Authority Limited and as such is subject to Chapter 7 of the CISE Listing Rules regarding Related Party Transactions (as defined therein). Since Blackstone Treasury Asia Pte. Ltd is a substantial shareholder of the Company, the participation by it or any other entity in the Blackstone Group in any future fundraise carried out by the Company is subject to the passing of Resolution 4 (as defined in paragraph 9 of this letter), as an ordinary resolution, by Independent Shareholders of the Company. Neither Blackstone Treasury Asia Pte. Ltd nor any of its Associates will vote on Resolution 4 at the Extraordinary General Meeting to approve the Blackstone Related Party Transaction (described above). Resolution 4 requires the approval of more than 50 per cent. of the votes cast in respect of it by the Independent Shareholders. The Board considers that the Blackstone Related Party Transaction will be in the best interests of Shareholders because, as part of a potential fundraise, it will provide additional capital which will enable the Company to benefit from the continued investment opportunities. Over time, this may also improve the secondary market liquidity of the Shares. 8. OTHER RECENT CHANGES In addition to the proposed amendments to the existing investment objective and policy, the Company also wishes to notify the Shareholders of some of the changes implemented to the Company s investment valuation methodology and to its corporate structure. The Company has amended certain aspects of its investment valuation methodology, particularly in respect of CLO Securities and Loan Warehouses. Specifically, as CLO Securities are long-term investments, the valuation will be performed by a third party approved pricing source ( Approved Pricing Source ) which will utilise an intrinsic valuation model based on future cash flows and agreed scenario assumptions. The Approved Pricing Source will not use secondary market information (including third party broker/dealer quotes) for the valuation of any such CLO Securities. 7

8 On IPO, the Company held the EU PPNs issued by BGCF directly, with a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company incorporated in Jersey (the Jersey Subsidiary ) holding 15 Class B2 Shares issued by BGCF. The Directors have resolved to change this underlying structure such that: (i) the Company holds the 15 Class B2 Shares issued by BGCF directly; and (ii) the EU PPNs are held by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company incorporated in Luxembourg (the Lux Subsidiary ). The Directors have resolved to implement these changes on the basis of advice that the new structure is more tax efficient and is not expected to have a material effect on the Company s ability to supervise its underlying portfolio. Accordingly, on 23 December 2015, the Jersey Subsidiary was dissolved and, as at the date of this Circular, the Company holds the 15 Class B2 Shares issued by BGCF directly. On 3 February 2015, the transfer of the EU PPNs from the Company to the Lux Subsidiary completed and, as at the date of this Circular, the Company also holds shares and cash settlement warrants issued by the Lux Subsidiary. 9. RESOLUTIONS AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING In order to effect the Proposals, Shareholders will need to pass each Resolution described below. The Resolutions are set out in the Notice at the end of this Circular. Resolution 1: Amendments to existing investment objective and policy An Ordinary Resolution will be required to amend the Company s existing investment objective and policy. Details of the proposed changes to the Company s existing investment objective and policy are set out in Part 2 of this Circular and a summary of the proposed changes is set out above. Resolution 2: Disapplication of pre-emption rights and approval of issue of Shares A Special Resolution will be required to disapply pre-emption rights in connection with, and to approve, the issue of up to 500 million new Shares under a potential fundraise. Details relating to the disapplication of pre-emption rights and the proposed fundraise are set out above. Resolution 3: Adoption of the New Articles A Special Resolution will be required to adopt the New Articles in substitution for the Existing Articles. Details of the proposed changes to the Existing Articles are set out above. Resolution 4: Subscription for Shares by an entity in the Blackstone Group An Ordinary Resolution, on which only Independent Shareholders may vote, will be required to approve the issue of Shares to an entity in the Blackstone Group which constitutes a related party transaction under Chapter 11 of the Listing Rules and Chapter 7 of the CISE Listing Rules. Details of the related party transaction are set out in the section entitled Blackstone Related Party Transaction above. The quorum for the EGM will be two Shareholders present and entitled to vote in person or by proxy. If within 20 minutes of the time appointed for the EGM a quorum is not present, the EGM shall stand adjourned for fourteen days at the same time and place or to such other day and at such other time and place as the Board may determine and no notice of such adjourned meeting need be given unless the meeting is adjourned for more than fourteen days. For an Ordinary Resolution to be passed, it must be approved by more than 50 per cent. of votes cast by eligible Shareholders present at the EGM in person or by proxy. For a Special Resolution to be passed, it must be approved by a majority of not less than two-thirds of votes cast by eligible Shareholders present at the EGM in person or by proxy. 8

9 10. DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION A copy of the following documents will be available for inspection (by Shareholders or an authorised representative) at the Company s registered office during normal business hours on any Business Day from the date of this Circular until the conclusion of the Extraordinary General Meeting: 1. this Circular; and 2. the proposed New Articles, along with a comparison of the proposed New Articles against the Existing Articles. A copy of this Circular has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at This Circular will also be available on the Company s page on following website: ACTION TO BE TAKEN Whether or not you intend to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting, you should ensure that your Proxy Appointment Form is returned to Capita Asset Services, PXS, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, BR3 4TU at least 48 hours before the commencement of the meeting. Completion of a Proxy Appointment Form will not preclude a Shareholder from attending, speaking and voting in person at the Extraordinary General Meeting. 12. RECOMMENDATION The Board considers that the proposed Resolutions are in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders as a whole. The Board accordingly recommends that all Shareholders vote in favour of the Resolutions (provided that only Independent Shareholders may vote on Resolution 4) to be proposed at the Extraordinary General Meeting, as the Directors intend to do in respect of their entire beneficial shareholding of 25,000 Shares, representing 0.01 per cent. of the total number of issued Shares in the Company. Yours faithfully, Charlotte Valeur Chair 9

10 PART 2 INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY SECTION A SUMMARY OF AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY The Company is proposing to amend the existing investment objective and policy by deleting those words below which are crossed out and adding those words below which are underlined. Investment Objective The Company s investment objective is to provide Shareholders with stable and growing income returns, and to grow the capital value of the investment portfolio by exposure predominantly to floating rate senior secured loans directly and indirectly through CLO Income NotesSecurities and investments in Loan Warehouses. The Company will seekseeks to achieve its investment objective solely through exposure to the Originator(directly or indirectly) to one or more risk retention companies or entities established from time to time ( Risk Retention Companies ). Investment Policy Overview The Company s investment policy is to invest (directly or indirectly, through one or more Risk Retention Companies) predominantly in a diverse portfolio of senior secured loans and in CLO Income Notes(including broadly syndicated, middle market or other loans) (such investments being made by the Risk Retention Companies directly or through investments in Loan Warehouses) and in CLO Securities, and generate attractive risk-adjusted returns from such portfolios. The Company intends to pursue its investment policy by investing the Net Placing Proceeds in Profit Participating Notes issued by the Originator and the acquisition of 15 Class B2 Shares in the Originator (which will be non-voting, and which will be held by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company)(through one or more wholly owned subsidiaries) in profit participating instruments (or similar securities) issued by one or more Risk Retention Companies. The OriginatorRisk Retention Companies will use the proceeds from the issue of the Profit Participating Notes and the equity investment to initially invest predominantly in senior secured loans. Subsequently, on the availability of appropriate market opportunities, the Originator will also invest in CLO Income Notes issued by Originator CLOs. Initially, the Originator s investments will be focussedprofit participating instruments (or similar securities) together with the proceeds from other funding or financing arrangements it has in place currently or may have in the future to invest predominantly in: (i) senior secured loans, CLO Securities and Loan Warehouses; or (ii) other Risk Retention Companies which, themselves, invest predominantly in senior secured loans, CLO Securities and Loan Warehouses. The Risk Retention Companies may invest predominantly in European senior secured loans, but the Originator may in due course also invest inor U.S. senior secured loans. As such, there, CLO Securities, Loan Warehouses and other assets in accordance with the investment policy of the Risk Retention Companies. Investments in Loan Warehouses, which are generally expected to be subordinated to senior financing provided by third party banks ( First Loss ), will typically be in the form of an obligation to purchase preference shares or a subordinated loan. There is no limit on the maximum U.S. or European exposure. The Originator does not intendrisk Retention Companies are not expected to invest substantially directly in senior secured loans domiciled outside North America or Western Europe. Investment Limits and Risk Diversification The Company s investment strategy is to implement its investment policy by investing, through the Originator, in a portfolio of predominantly senior secured loans. It is intended that the Originator willrisk Retention Companies, in a portfolio of predominantly senior secured loans or in Loan Warehouses containing predominantly senior secured loans and, in connection with such strategy, to own debt and equity tranches of CLOs and be the risk retention provider in each. The Risk Retention Companies may periodically securitise these loans into Originator CLOs managed by DFME (or any affiliate) in its capacity as the CLO Manager. The Originator will retain CLO Income Notes 10

11 equal to between 51 per cent. and 100 per cent. of the CLO Income Notes in the Originator CLOs. It is anticipated that once substantially invested, the Originator will retain CLO Income Notes in no less than four CLOs, and will also continue to directly hold floating rate senior secured loans. It is further intended that the value of the CLO Income Notes retained by the Originator in any Originator CLO will not exceed 25 per cent. of the Originator s NAV at the time of investment. a portion of the loans into CLOs which may be managed either by such Risk Retention Company itself or by DFME or DFM (or one of their affiliates), in its capacity as the CLO Manager. The Risk Retention Companies will retain exposures of each CLO, which may be held as: (a) (b) CLO Income Notes equal to: (i) between 51 per cent. and 100 per cent. of the CLO Income Notes issued by each such CLO in the case of European CLOs; or (ii) CLO Income Notes representing at least 5 per cent. of the credit risk relating to the assets collateralising the CLO in the case of U.S. CLOs (each of (i) and (ii), (the horizontal strip ); or not less than 5 per cent. of the principal amount of each of the tranches of CLO Securities in each such CLO (the vertical strip ). In the case of deals structured to be compliant with the U.S. risk retention rules, the retention by a Risk Retention Company may be structured as a combination of horizontal strip and vertical strip. To the extent attributable to the Company, the value of the CLO Income Notes retained by Risk Retention Companies in any CLO will not exceed 25 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. Further, to the extent attributable to the Company, the aggregate value of investments made by Risk Retention Companies in vertical strips of CLOs (net of any directly attributable financing) will not exceed 15 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. This limitation shall apply to Risk Retention Companies in aggregate and not to Risk Retention Companies individually. Loan Warehouses may eventually be securitised into CLOs managed either by a Risk Retention Company itself or by DFME or DFM (or one of their affiliates), in its capacity as the CLO Manager. To the extent attributable to the Company, the aggregate value of investments made by Risk Retention Companies in any single externally financed warehouse (net of any directly attributable financing) shall not exceed 20 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment, and in all externally financed warehouses taken together (net of any directly attributable financing) shall not exceed 30 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. These limitations shall apply to Risk Retention Companies in aggregate and not to Risk Retention Companies individually. The following limits (the Eligibility Criteria ) apply to senior secured loans (and, to the extent applicable, other corporate debt instruments) directly held by the Originatorany Risk Retention Company (and not through CLO Income NotesSecurities or Loan Warehouses): Maximum exposure % of Originatora Risk Retention Company s gross asset value Per obligor 5 Per industry sector 15 (with the exception of one industry which may be up to 20 per cent.) To obligors with a rating lower than 7.5 B-/B3/B- To second lien loans, unsecured 10 loans, mezzanine loans and high yield bonds For the purposes of these Eligibility Criteria, gross asset value shall mean gross assets including any investments in CLO Income NotesSecurities and any undrawn commitment amount of any gearing under any term Revolving Credit Facilitydebt facility. Further, for the avoidance of doubt, the maximum exposures set out in the Eligibility Criteria shall apply on a trade date basis. Each of these Eligibility Criteria will be measured at the close of each Business Day on which a new investment is made, and there will be no requirement to sell down in the event the limits are breached at 11

12 any subsequent point (for instance, as a result of movement in the gross asset value, or the sale or downgrading of any assets held by the Originatora Risk Retention Company). In addition, each CLO in which the Originator holds CLO Income Notesa Risk Retention Company holds CLO Securities and each Loan Warehouse in which a Risk Retention Company invests will have its own eligibility criteria and portfolio limits. These limits are designed to ensure that: (i) the portfolio of assets within the CLO meets a prescribed level of diversity and quality as set by the relevant rating agencies rating securities issued by such CLO; or (ii) in the case of a Loan Warehouse, that the warehoused assets will eventually be eligible for a rated CLO. The CLO Manager will seek to identify and actively manage assets which meet those criteria and limits within each CLO or Loan Warehouse. The eligibility criteria and portfolio limits within a CLO willor Loan Warehouse may include the following: a limit on the weighted average life of the portfolio; a limit on the weighted average rating of the portfolio; a limit on the maximum amount of portfolio assets with a rating lower than B-/B3/B-; and a limit on the minimum diversity of the portfolio. CLOs in which the Originatora Risk Retention Company may hold CLO Income NotesSecurities or Loan Warehouses in which a Risk Retention Company may invest are also expected to have certain other criteria and limits, includingwhich may include: a limit on the minimum weighted average of the prescribed rating agency recovery rate; a limit on the minimum amount of senior secured assets; a limit on the maximum aggregate exposure to second lien loans, high yield bonds, mezzanine loans and unsecured loans; a limit on the maximum portfolio exposure to covenant-lite loans; an exclusion of project finance loans; an exclusion of structured finance securities; an exclusion on investing in the debt of companies domiciled in countries with a local currency sub investment grade rating; and an exclusion of leases. This is not an exhaustive list of the eligibility criteria and portfolio limits within a typical CLO or Loan Warehouse and the inclusion or exclusion of such limits and their absolute levels are subject to change depending on market conditions. Any such limits applied shall be measured at the time of investment in each CLO. or Loan Warehouse. Company Borrowing Limit The Company will not utilise borrowings for investment purposes. However, the Directors will be permitted to borrow up to 10 per cent. of the NAV for day to day administration and cash management purposes.for the avoidance of doubt, this limit only applies to the Company and not the Risk Retention Companies. The Company may use hedging or derivatives (both long and short) for the purposes of efficient portfolio management. It is intended that up to 100 per cent. (as appropriate) of the Company s exposure to non- Euro assets will be hedged, subject to suitable hedging contracts being available at appropriate times and on acceptable terms. Changes to Investment Policy Any material change to the investment policy of the Company would be made only with the approval of Shareholders. The investment policy of the Originator currently mirrors the investment policy of the CompanyIt is intended that the investment policy of each Substantial Risk Retention Company will mirror the Company s investment policy, subject to such additional restrictions as may be adopted by a Substantial Risk Retention Company from time to time. The Company will receive periodic reports from the Originatoreach Substantial Risk 12

13 Retention Company in relation to the implementation of the Originatorsuch Substantial Risk Retention Company s investment policy to enable the Company to have oversight of its activities. If the Originatora Substantial Risk Retention Company proposes to make any changes (material or otherwise) to its investment policy, the Directors will seek Shareholder approval of any changes which are either material in their own right or, when viewed as a whole together with previous non-material changes, constitute a material change from the published investment policy of the Company. If Shareholders do not approve the change in investment policy of the Company such that it is once again materially consistent with that of the Originatorsuch Substantial Risk Retention Company, the Directors will redeem the Company s investment in the Originatorsuch Substantial Risk Retention Company (either directly or, if the Company s investment in a subsidiary is invested by such subsidiary in such Substantial Risk Retention Company (either directly or through one or more other Risk Retention Companies), by redeeming the securities held by the Company in such subsidiary and procuring that the subsidiary redeems its investment in such Substantial Risk Retention Company (either directly or through one or more other Risk Retention Companies)), as soon as reasonably practicable but at all times subject to the relevant legal, regulatory and contractual obligations. 13

14 SECTION B PROPOSED INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICY Investment Objective The Company s investment objective is to provide Shareholders with stable and growing income returns, and to grow the capital value of the investment portfolio by exposure predominantly to floating rate senior secured loans directly and indirectly through CLO Securities and investments in Loan Warehouses. The Company seeks to achieve its investment objective through exposure (directly or indirectly) to one or more risk retention companies or entities established from time to time ( Risk Retention Companies ). Investment Policy Overview The Company s investment policy is to invest (directly or indirectly, through one or more Risk Retention Companies) predominantly in a diverse portfolio of senior secured loans (including broadly syndicated, middle market or other loans) (such investments being made by the Risk Retention Companies directly or through investments in Loan Warehouses) and in CLO Securities, and generate attractive risk-adjusted returns from such portfolios. The Company intends to pursue its investment policy by investing (through one or more wholly owned subsidiaries) in profit participating instruments (or similar securities) issued by one or more Risk Retention Companies. The Risk Retention Companies will use the proceeds from the issue of the profit participating instruments (or similar securities) together with the proceeds from other funding or financing arrangements it has in place currently or may have in the future to invest predominantly in: (i) senior secured loans, CLO Securities and Loan Warehouses; or (ii) other Risk Retention Companies which, themselves, invest predominantly in senior secured loans, CLO Securities and Loan Warehouses. The Risk Retention Companies may invest predominantly in European or U.S. senior secured loans, CLO Securities, Loan Warehouses and other assets in accordance with the investment policy of the Risk Retention Companies. Investments in Loan Warehouses, which are generally expected to be subordinated to senior financing provided by third party banks ( First Loss ), will typically be in the form of an obligation to purchase preference shares or a subordinated loan. There is no limit on the maximum U.S. or European exposure. The Risk Retention Companies are not expected to invest substantially directly in senior secured loans domiciled outside North America or Western Europe. Investment Limits and Risk Diversification The Company s investment strategy is to implement its investment policy by investing, through the Risk Retention Companies, in a portfolio of predominantly senior secured loans or in Loan Warehouses containing predominantly senior secured loans and, in connection with such strategy, to own debt and equity tranches of CLOs and be the risk retention provider in each. The Risk Retention Companies may periodically securitise a portion of the loans into CLOs which may be managed either by such Risk Retention Company itself or by DFME or DFM (or one of their affiliates), in its capacity as the CLO Manager. The Risk Retention Companies will retain exposures of each CLO, which may be held as: (a) (b) CLO Income Notes equal to: (i) between 51 per cent. and 100 per cent. of the CLO Income Notes issued by each such CLO in the case of European CLOs; or (ii) CLO Income Notes representing at least 5 per cent. of the credit risk relating to the assets collateralising the CLO in the case of U.S. CLOs (each of (i) and (ii), (the horizontal strip ); or not less than 5 per cent. of the principal amount of each of the tranches of CLO Securities in each such CLO (the vertical strip ). In the case of deals structured to be compliant with the U.S. risk retention rules, the retention by a Risk Retention Company may be structured as a combination of horizontal strip and vertical strip. To the extent attributable to the Company, the value of the CLO Income Notes retained by Risk Retention Companies in any CLO will not exceed 25 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. 14

15 Further, to the extent attributable to the Company, the aggregate value of investments made by Risk Retention Companies in vertical strips of CLOs (net of any directly attributable financing) will not exceed 15 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. This limitation shall apply to Risk Retention Companies in aggregate and not to Risk Retention Companies individually. Loan Warehouses may eventually be securitised into CLOs managed either by a Risk Retention Company itself or by DFME or DFM (or one of their affiliates), in its capacity as the CLO Manager. To the extent attributable to the Company, the aggregate value of investments made by Risk Retention Companies in any single externally financed warehouse (net of any directly attributable financing) shall not exceed 20 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment, and in all externally financed warehouses taken together (net of any directly attributable financing) shall not exceed 30 per cent. of the NAV of the Company at the time of investment. These limitations shall apply to Risk Retention Companies in aggregate and not to Risk Retention Companies individually. The following limits (the Eligibility Criteria ) apply to senior secured loans (and, to the extent applicable, other corporate debt instruments) directly held by any Risk Retention Company (and not through CLO Securities or Loan Warehouses): Maximum exposure % of a Risk Retention Company s gross asset value Per obligor 5 Per industry sector 15 (with the exception of one industry which may be up to 20 per cent.) To obligors with a rating lower than 7.5 B-/B3/B- To second lien loans, unsecured 10 loans, mezzanine loans and high yield bonds For the purposes of these Eligibility Criteria, gross asset value shall mean gross assets including any investments in CLO Securities and any undrawn commitment amount of any gearing under any debt facility. Further, for the avoidance of doubt, the maximum exposures set out in the Eligibility Criteria shall apply on a trade date basis. Each of these Eligibility Criteria will be measured at the close of each Business Day on which a new investment is made, and there will be no requirement to sell down in the event the limits are breached at any subsequent point (for instance, as a result of movement in the gross asset value, or the sale or downgrading of any assets held by a Risk Retention Company). In addition, each CLO in which a Risk Retention Company holds CLO Securities and each Loan Warehouse in which a Risk Retention Company invests will have its own eligibility criteria and portfolio limits. These limits are designed to ensure that: (i) the portfolio of assets within the CLO meets a prescribed level of diversity and quality as set by the relevant rating agencies rating securities issued by such CLO; or (ii) in the case of a Loan Warehouse, that the warehoused assets will eventually be eligible for a rated CLO. The CLO Manager will seek to identify and actively manage assets which meet those criteria and limits within each CLO or Loan Warehouse. The eligibility criteria and portfolio limits within a CLO or Loan Warehouse may include the following: a limit on the weighted average life of the portfolio; a limit on the weighted average rating of the portfolio; a limit on the maximum amount of portfolio assets with a rating lower than B-/B3/B-; and a limit on the minimum diversity of the portfolio. 15