Release Details

EVANSTON, Ill., May 30, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fidus Investment Corporation (Nasdaq:FDUS) ("Fidus" or the "Company") today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Fidus Mezzanine Capital II, L.P., has received approval for a license from the U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") to operate as a Small Business Investment Company ("SBIC"). This is the second SBIC license granted to the Company through its SBIC subsidiaries.

As an SBIC, Fidus Mezzanine Capital II, L.P. will be subject to a variety of regulations and oversight by the SBA concerning, among other things, the size and nature of the companies in which it may invest as well as the structure of those investments. The license will allow Fidus Mezzanine Capital II, L.P. to obtain leverage by issuing SBA-guaranteed debentures, subject to the issuance of a capital commitment by the SBA and customary procedures. SBA debentures are loans issued by an SBIC which have interest payable semi-annually and a ten-year maturity. The interest rate is fixed at the time of issuance at a market-driven spread over U.S. Treasury Notes with ten-year maturities. Current regulations permit Fidus Mezzanine Capital II, L.P. to issue up to $75 million in SBA debentures.

"We are very pleased to have received approval for a second SBIC license, which provides us access to an additional $75 million of attractive long term debt capital," said Edward Ross, Chief Executive Officer of Fidus Investment Corporation. "This capital, combined with the $59 million of cash on our balance sheet at March 31, 2013, positions us well to continue to selectively grow our investment portfolio as we remain focused on capital preservation and generating attractive risk-adjusted returns over the long term."

ABOUT FIDUS INVESTMENT CORPORATION

Fidus Investment Corporation provides customized debt and equity financing solutions to lower middle market companies, which we generally define as U.S. based companies having revenues between $10.0 million and $150.0 million. Fidus' investment objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns by generating both current income from our debt investments and capital appreciation from our equity related investments. Fidus seeks to partner with business owners, management teams and financial sponsors by providing customized financing for change of ownership transactions, recapitalizations, strategic acquisitions, business expansion and other growth initiatives.

Fidus is an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. In addition, for tax purposes, Fidus has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company, or RIC, under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2011. Fidus was formed in February 2011 to continue and expand the business of Fidus Mezzanine Capital, L.P., which commenced operations in May 2007 and is licensed by the SBA as an SBIC.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. Any such statements, other than statements of historical fact, are likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under Fidus' control, and that Fidus may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual developments and results are highly likely to vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Fidus' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and Fidus undertakes no obligation to update any such statement now or in the future.

CONTACT: Company Contact:

         Edward H. Ross

         Chief Executive Officer

         Fidus Investment Corporation

         847-859-3940

         

         Investor Relations Contact:

         Stephanie Prince/Jody Burfening

         LHA

         (212) 838-3777

         sprince@lhai.com