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Securities Act File No. 333-202531

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-2

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933		¨
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2		x
Post-Effective Amendment No.		¨

 

 

FIDUS INVESTMENT CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1005

Evanston, Illinois 60201

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(847) 859-3940

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

 

 

Edward H. Ross

Chief Executive Officer

1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1005

Evanston, Illinois 60201

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

COPIES TO:

John A. Good

Morrison & Foerster LLP

2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 6000

Washington, D.C. 20006

(202) 778-1655

 

 

Approximate date of proposed public offering: From time to time after the effective date of the Registration Statement.

If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. x

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

x	when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c).

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Title of Securities Being Registered		Amount Being Registered		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)		Amount of Registration Fee(2)
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share(3)
Preferred Stock(3)
Subscription Rights(3)
Debt Securities(4)
Warrants(5)
Total				$300,000,000(6)		$34,860

 

 

(1)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(o) of the rules and regulations under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which permits the registration fee to be calculated on the basis of the maximum offering price of all the securities listed, the table does not specify by each class information as to the amount to be registered, proposed maximum offering price per unit or proposed maximum aggregate offering price.

(2)

Prior to the filing of this pre-effective amendment to this registration statement, $190,507,848 aggregate principal amount of securities remained registered and unsold pursuant to registration statement No. 333-182785 (the “Prior Registration Statement”), which was initially filed by the Registrant on July 20, 2012. Pursuant to Rule 457(p), $22,055 of the total filing fee of $34,860 required in connection with the initial registration of $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of securities under this registration statement is being offset against the $34,380 filing fee associated with the unsold securities registered under the Prior Registration Statement, and an additional $12,805 was paid in connection with the initial filing of this registration statement. If the Registrant sells any of such unsold securities pursuant to the Prior Registration Statement after the date of this pre-effective amendment to this registration statement, and prior to the date of effectiveness, of this registration statement, the Registrant will file a pre-effective amendment to this registration statement which will reduce the number of such unsold securities included on this registration statement.

(3)	Subject to Note 6 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate principal amount of common stock, preferred stock, or subscription rights, from time to time.

(4)

Subject to Note 6 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities as may be sold, from time to time. If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, then the offering price shall be in such greater principal amount as shall result in an aggregate price to investors not to exceed $300,000,000.

(5)	Subject to Note 6 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate principal amount of warrants as may be sold, from time to time, representing rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities.

(6)	In no event will the aggregate offering price of all securities issued from time to time pursuant to this Registration Statement exceed $300,000,000.

 

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE
PART C					C-1
Other Information					C-1
Item 25.		Financial Statements and Exhibits			C-1
Item 26.		Marketing Arrangements			C-2
Item 27.		Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution			C-3
Item 28.		Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control			C-3
Item 29.		Number of Holders of Securities			C-3
Item 30.		Indemnification			C-3
Item 31.		Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser			C-5
Item 32.		Location of Accounts and Records			C-5
Item 33.		Management Services			C-5
Item 34.		Undertakings			C-5
SIGNATURES
EXHIBIT INDEX

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EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-202531) of Fidus Investment Corporation (the “Registration Statement”) is being filed solely to reduce the number of unsold securities offered pursuant to a prior registration statement (No. 333-182785) that are included on this Registration Statement. Accordingly, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 consists only of a facing page, this explanatory note and Part C of the Registration Statement setting forth the exhibits to the Registration Statement. This Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 does not modify any other part of the Registration Statement. The contents of the Registration Statement are hereby incorporated by reference.

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FIDUS INVESTMENT CORPORATION

PART C

Other Information

 

Item 25.

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(1) Financial Statements

The following financial statements of the Company are provided in Part A of this registration statement:

Audited Financial Statements

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2014 and 2013

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the Years Ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012

Consolidated Schedules of Investments as of December 31, 2014 and 2013

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(2) Exhibits

 

 

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(1)	To be filed by subsequent amendment.

(2)	Filed herewith.

(3)	Previously filed as an exhibit to this Registration Statement.

(4)	Included on the signature page.

 

Item 26.

Marketing Arrangements

The information contained under the heading “Plan of Distribution” on this registration statement is incorporated herein by reference and any information concerning any underwriters will be contained in the accompanying prospectus supplement, if any.

 

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Item 27.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

 

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee		$	34,860
FINRA filing fee			45,500
Nasdaq Global Select Market listing fees			195,000	(1)
Printing expenses			150,000	(1)
Legal fees and expenses			300,000	(1)
Accounting fees and expenses			100,000	(1)
Miscellaneous			10,000	(1)
Total		$	835,360	(1)

 

(1)	These amounts are estimates.

All of the expenses set forth above shall be borne by the Company.

 

Item 28.

Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control

The following is a list of our wholly-owned subsidiaries and the jurisdiction in which each subsidiary was organized:

 

Name		Jurisdiction
FCAT Equity Corp.			Delaware
FCCG Equity Corp.			Delaware
FCMH Equity Corp.			Delaware
FCPBS Equity Corp.			Delaware
Fidus Investment GP, LLC			Delaware
Fidus Mezzanine Capital, L.P.			Delaware
Fidus Mezzanine Capital II, L.P.			Delaware
Fidus Investment Holdings, Inc.			Delaware
FCIHA, Inc.			Delaware

 

Item 29.

Number of Holders of Securities

The following table sets forth the approximate number of record holders of our common stock as of April 13, 2015.

 

Title of Class		Number of Record Holders
Common Stock, $0.001 par value		21

 

Item 30.

Indemnification

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision that eliminates directors’ and officers’ liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act.

Our charter authorize us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity.

 

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Our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in any such capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity. Our bylaws also provide that, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, with the approval of our board of directors and provided that certain conditions described in our bylaws are met, we may pay certain expenses incurred by any such indemnified person in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such indemnified person to repay amounts we have so paid if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under our bylaws.

Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provide otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

We have obtained primary and excess insurance policies insuring our directors and officers against some liabilities they may incur in their capacity as directors and officers. Under such policies, the insurer, on our behalf, may also pay amounts for which we have granted indemnification to our directors or officers.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC and its and its affiliates’ officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees are entitled to indemnification from us for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC’s services under the Investment Advisory Agreement.

The Administration Agreement provides that, absent willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of its duties and obligations, Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC and its and its affiliates’ officers, directors, members, managers, stockholders and employees are entitled to indemnification from us for any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and amounts reasonably paid in settlement) arising from the rendering of Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC’s services under the Administration Agreement or otherwise as our administrator.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by us of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of ours in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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Item 31.

Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisor.

A description of any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC, and each managing director, director or executive officer of Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC, is or has been during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in Part A of this registration statement in the section entitled “Management.” Additional information regarding the Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC and its officers and directors is set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the SEC (File No. 801-72285), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 32.

Location of Accounts and Records.

All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:

 

(1)	Fidus Investment Corporation, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1005, Evanston, Illinois 60201;

 

(2)	the Transfer Agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, 59 Maiden Lane, Plaza Level, New York, New York 10038;

 

(3)	the Custodian, U.S. Bank National Association, Corporate Trust Services, One Federal Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110; and

 

(4)	Fidus Investment Advisors, LLC, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1005, Evanston, Illinois 60201.

 

Item 33.

Management Services

Not Applicable.

 

Item 34.

Undertakings

 

(1)

We undertake to suspend the offering of shares until the prospectus is amended if (a) subsequent to the effective date of its registration statement, the net asset value declines more than 10.0% from its net asset value as of the effective date of the registration statement; or (b) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than the net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.

 

(2)	Not applicable.

 

(3)

In the event that the securities being registered are to be offered to existing shareholders pursuant to warrants or rights, and any securities not taken by shareholders are to be reoffered to the public, we undertake to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the subscription offer, the transactions by underwriters during the subscription period, the amount of unsubscribed securities to be purchased by underwriters, and the terms of any subsequent reoffering thereof; and further, if any public offering by the underwriters of the securities being registered is to be made on terms differing materially from those set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, we undertake to file a post-effective amendment to set forth the terms of such offering.

 

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(4)	We hereby undertake:

 

(a)

to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

a.

to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

 

b.

to reflect in the prospectus or prospectus supplement any facts or events after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement; and

 

c.

to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement.

 

(b)

for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, that each such post-effective amendment to this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c)

to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(d)

for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, that if we are subject to Rule 430C under the Securities Act, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the Securities Act as part of this registration statement relating to an offering, other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the Securities Act, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus or prospectus supplement that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

 

(e)

for the purpose of determining liability of the Company under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities, in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell such securities to the purchaser, that if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, we will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

 

a.

any preliminary prospectus or prospectus or prospectus supplement of us relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act;

 

b.

the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the Securities Act relating to the offering containing material information about us or our securities provided by or on behalf of us; and

 

c.

any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by us to the purchaser.

 

(5)	Not applicable.

 

(6)	Not applicable.

 

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(7)

We hereby undertake to file a post-effective amendment containing a prospectus pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Securities Act prior to any offering of shares of our common stock below net asset value (“NAV”) if the cumulative dilution to our NAV per share, together with the cumulative dilution to our NAV per share of any prior offerings made pursuant to this registration statement (the “current registration statement”), exceeds fifteen percent (15%). If we file a new post-effective amendment to the current registration statement pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Securities Act, the threshold would reset.

 

(8)

We undertake to file a post-effective amendment to this registration statement pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Securities Act, and to suspend any offers or sales pursuant to this registration statement until such post-effective amendment has been declared effective, in the event that our common stock is trading below NAV and either: (i) we receive or have been advised by our independent registered accountants that we will receive an audit report reflecting substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern; or (ii) we have concluded that a material adverse change has occurred in our financial position or results of operations that has caused the financial statements and other disclosures on the basis of which the offering would be made to be materially misleading.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, and/or the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Evanston, Illinois, on the 29^th day of April, 2015.

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Edward H. Ross as true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments, or any abbreviated registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) and otherwise), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing, as to all intents and purposes as either of them might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his or her substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature		Title		Date
/s/ EDWARD H. ROSS Edward H. Ross		Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)		April 29, 2015
/s/ SHELBY E. SHERARD Shelby E. Sherard		Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)		April 29, 2015
/s/ THOMAS C. LAUER Thomas C. Lauer		Director		April 29, 2015
/s/ RAYMOND L. ANSTISS, JR. Raymond L. Anstiss		Director		April 29, 2015
/s/ CHARLES D. HYMAN Charles D. Hyman		Director		April 29, 2015
/s/ JOHN A. MAZZARINO John A. Mazzarino		Director		April 29, 2015

Exhibit n(1)

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the use in this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement (No. 333-202531) on Form N-2 of Fidus Investment Corporation and Subsidiaries (collectively, the Company) of our reports dated March 5, 2015, relating to our audits of the consolidated financial statements, internal control over financial reporting and senior securities table, incorporated by reference.

We also consent to the reference to our firm under the captions “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm”, “Senior Securities” and “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” in such Registration Statement.

/s/ McGladrey LLP

Chicago, Illinois

April 29, 2015