§ 683. Borrowing operations

(a) Authority to issue obligations

Each small business investment company shall have authority to borrow money and to issue its securities, promissory notes, or other obligations under such general conditions and subject to such limitations and regulations as the Administration may prescribe.

(b) Debentures and participating securities

To encourage the formation and growth of small business investment companies the Administration is authorized when authorized in appropriation Acts, to purchase, or to guarantee the timely payment of all principal and interest as scheduled on, debentures or participating securities issued by such companies. Such purchases or guarantees may be made by the Administration on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, pursuant to regulations issued by the Administration. The full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all amounts which may be required to be paid under any guarantee under this subsection. Debentures purchased or guaranteed by the Administration under this subsection shall be subordinate to any other debenture bonds, promissory notes, or other debts and obligations of such companies, unless the Administration in its exercise of reasonable investment prudence and in considering the financial soundness of such company determines otherwise. Such debentures may be issued for a term of not to exceed fifteen years and shall bear interest at a rate not less than a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury taking into consideration the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the average maturities on such debentures, adjusted to the nearest one-eighth of 1 percent, plus, for debentures obligated after September 30, 2001, an additional charge, in an amount established annually by the Administration, as necessary to reduce to zero the cost (as defined in section 661a of title 2) to the Administration of purchasing and guaranteeing debentures under this chapter, which amount may not exceed 1.38 percent per year, and which shall be paid to and retained by the Administration. The debentures or participating securities shall also contain such other terms as the Administration may fix, and shall be subject to the following restrictions and limitations:

(1) The total amount of debentures and participating securities that may be guaranteed by the Administration and outstanding from a company licensed under section 681 (c) of this title shall not exceed 300 per centum of the private capital of such company: Provided, That nothing in this paragraph shall require any such company that on March 31, 1993, has outstanding debentures in excess of 300 per centum of its private capital to prepay such excess: And provided further, That any such company may apply for an additional debenture guarantee or participating security guarantee with the proceeds to be used solely to pay the amount due on such maturing debenture, but the maturity of the new debenture or security shall be not later than September 30, 2002.

(2) Maximum leverage.—

(A) In general.— The maximum amount of outstanding leverage made available to any one company licensed under section 681 (c) of this title may not exceed the lesser of—

(i) 300 percent of such company’s private capital; or

(ii) $150,000,000.

(B) Multiple licenses under common control.— The maximum amount of outstanding leverage made available to two or more companies licensed under section 681 (c) of this title that are commonly controlled (as determined by the Administrator) and not under capital impairment may not exceed $225,000,000.

(i) In calculating the outstanding leverage of a company for the purposes of subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall not include the amount of the cost basis of any equity investment made by the company in a smaller enterprise located in a low-income geographic area (as defined in section 689 of this title), to the extent that the total of such amounts does not exceed 50 percent of the company’s private capital.

(ii) The maximum amount of outstanding leverage made available to—

(I) any 1 company described in clause (iii) may not exceed the lesser of 300 percent of private capital of the company, or $175,000,000; and

(II) 2 or more companies described in clause (iii) that are under common control (as determined by the Administrator) may not exceed $250,000,000.

(iii) A company described in this clause is a company licensed under section 681 (c) of this title in the first fiscal year after February 17, 2009, or any fiscal year thereafter that certifies in writing that not less than 50 percent of the dollar amount of investments of that company shall be made in companies that are located in a low-income geographic area (as that term is defined in section 689 of this title).

(D) Investments in energy saving small businesses.—

(i) In general.— Subject to clause (ii), in calculating the outstanding leverage of a company for purposes of subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall exclude the amount of the cost basis of any Energy Saving qualified investment in a smaller enterprise made in the first fiscal year after December 19, 2007, or any fiscal year thereafter by a company licensed in the applicable fiscal year.

(ii) Limitations.—

(I) Amount of exclusion.— The amount excluded under clause (i) for a company shall not exceed 33 percent of the private capital of that company.

(II) Maximum investment.— A company shall not make an Energy Saving qualified investment in any one entity in an amount equal to more than 20 percent of the private capital of that company.

(III) Other terms.— The exclusion of amounts under clause (i) shall be subject to such terms as the Administrator may impose to ensure that there is no cost (as that term is defined in section 661a of title 2) with respect to purchasing or guaranteeing any debenture involved.

(3) Subject to the foregoing dollar and percentage limits, a company licensed under section 681 (c) of this title may issue and have outstanding both guaranteed debentures and participating securities: Provided, That the total amount of participating securities outstanding shall not exceed 200 per centum of private capital.

For purposes of this subsection, the term “venture capital” includes such common stock, preferred stock, or other financing with subordination or nonamortization characteristics as the Administration determines to be substantially similar to equity financing.

The Administrator—

(1) shall not permit a licensee having outstanding leverage to incur third party debt that would create or contribute to an unreasonable risk of default or loss to the Federal Government; and

(2) shall permit such licensees to incur third party debt only on such terms and subject to such conditions as may be established by the Administrator, by regulation or otherwise.

(d) Investments in smaller enterprises

The Administrator shall require each licensee, as a condition of approval of an application for leverage, to certify in writing that not less than 25 percent of the aggregate dollar amount of financings of that licensee shall be provided to smaller enterprises.

(e) Capital impairment

Before approving any application for leverage submitted by a licensee under this chapter, the Administrator—

(1) shall determine that the private capital of the licensee meets the requirements of section 682 (a) of this title; and

(2) shall determine, taking into account the nature of the assets of the licensee, the amount and terms of any third party debt owed by such licensee, and any other factors determined to be relevant by the Administrator, that the private capital of the licensee has not been impaired to such an extent that the issuance of additional leverage would create or otherwise contribute to an unreasonable risk of default or loss to the Federal Government.

(f) Redemption or repurchase of preferred stock

Notwithstanding any other provision of law—

(1) the Administrator may allow the issuer of any preferred stock sold to the Administration before November 1, 1989 to redeem or repurchase such stock, upon the payment to the Administration of an amount less than the par value of such stock, for a repurchase price determined by the Administrator after consideration of all relevant factors, including—

(A) the market value of the stock;

(B) the value of benefits provided and anticipated to accrue to the issuer;

(D) the estimate of the Administrator of any anticipated redemption; and

(2) any moneys received by the Administration from the repurchase of preferred stock shall be available solely to provide debenture leverage to licensees having 50 percent or more in aggregate dollar amount of their financings invested in smaller enterprises.

(g) Guarantee of payment of and authority to purchase participating securities

In order to encourage small business investment companies to provide equity capital to small businesses, the Administration is authorized to guarantee the payment of the redemption price and prioritized payments on participating securities issued by such companies which are licensed pursuant to section 681 (c) of this title, and a trust or a pool acting on behalf of the Administration is authorized to purchase such securities. Such guarantees and purchases shall be made on such terms and conditions as the Administration shall establish by regulation. For purposes of this section,

(A) the term “participating securities” includes preferred stock, a preferred limited partnership interest or a similar instrument, including debentures under the terms of which interest is payable only to the extent of earnings and

(B) the term “prioritized payments” includes dividends on stock, interest on qualifying debentures, or priority returns on preferred limited partnership interests which are paid only to the extent of earnings. Participating securities guaranteed under this subsection shall be subject to the following restrictions and limitations, in addition to such other restrictions and limitations as the Administration may determine:

(1) Participating securities shall be redeemed not later than 15 years after their date of issuance for an amount equal to 100 per centum of the original issue price plus the amount of any accrued prioritized payment: Provided, That if, at the time the securities are redeemed, whether as scheduled or in advance, the issuing company

(A) has not paid all accrued prioritized payments in full as provided in paragraph (2) below and

(B) has not sold or otherwise disposed of all investments subject to profit distributions pursuant to paragraph (11), the company’s obligation to pay accrued and unpaid prioritized payments shall continue and payment shall be made from the realized gain, if any, on the disposition of such investments, but if on disposition there is no realized gain, the obligation to pay accrued and unpaid prioritized payments shall be extinguished: Provided further, That in the interim, the company shall not make any in-kind distributions of such investments unless it pays to the Administration such sums, up to the amount of the unrealized appreciation on such investments, as may be necessary to pay in full the accrued prioritized payments.

(2) Prioritized payments on participating securities shall be preferred and cumulative and payable out of the retained earnings available for distribution, as defined by the Administration, of the issuing company at a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury taking into consideration the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the average maturities on such securities, adjusted to the nearest one-eighth of 1 percent, plus, for participating securities obligated after September 30, 2001, an additional charge, in an amount established annually by the Administration, as necessary to reduce to zero the cost (as defined in section 661a of title 2) to the Administration of purchasing and guaranteeing participating securities under this chapter, which amount may not exceed 1.46 percent per year, and which shall be paid to and retained by the Administration.

(3) In the event of liquidation of the company, participating securities shall be senior in priority for all purposes to all other equity interests in the issuing company, whenever created.

(4) Any company issuing a participating security under this chapter shall commit to invest or shall invest an amount equal to the outstanding face value of such security solely in equity capital. As used in this subsection, “equity capital” means common or preferred stock or a similar instrument, including subordinated debt with equity features which is not amortized and which provides for interest payments from appropriate sources, as determined by the Administration.

(5) The only debt (other than leverage obtained in accordance with this subchapter) which any company issuing a participating security under this subsection may have outstanding shall be temporary debt in amounts limited to not more than 50 per centum of private capital.

(6) The Administration may permit the proceeds of a participating security to be used to pay the principal amount due on outstanding debentures guaranteed by the Administration, if

(A) the company has outstanding equity capital invested in an amount equal to the amount of the debentures being refinanced and

(B) the Administration receives profit participation on such terms and conditions as it may determine, but not to exceed the per centums specified in paragraph (11).

(7) For purposes of computing profit participation under paragraph (11), except as otherwise determined by the Administration, the management expenses of any company which issues participating securities shall not be greater than 2.5 per centum per annum of the combined capital of the company, plus $125,000 if the company’s combined capital is less than $20,000,000. For purposes of this paragraph,

(A) the term “combined capital” means the aggregate amount of private capital and outstanding leverage and

(B) the term “management expenses” includes salaries, office expenses, travel, business development, office and equipment rental, bookkeeping and the development, investigation and monitoring of investments, but does not include the cost of services provided by specialized outside consultants, outside lawyers and outside auditors, who perform services not generally expected of a venture capital company nor does such term include the cost of services provided by any affiliate of the company which are not part of the normal process of making and monitoring venture capital investments.

(8) Notwithstanding paragraph (9), if a company is operating as a limited partnership or as a subchapter S corporation or an equivalent pass-through entity for tax purposes and if there are no accumulated and unpaid prioritized payments, the company may make annual distributions to the partners, shareholders, or members in amounts not greater than each partner’s, shareholder’s, or member’s maximum tax liability. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “maximum tax liability” means the amount of income allocated to each partner, shareholder, or member (including an allocation to the Administration as if it were a taxpayer) for Federal income tax purposes in the income tax return filed or to be filed by the company with respect to the fiscal year of the company immediately preceding such distribution, multiplied by the highest combined marginal Federal and State income tax rates for corporations or individuals, whichever is higher, on each type of income included in such return. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “State income tax” means the income tax of the State where the company’s principal place of business is located. A company may also elect to make a distribution under this paragraph at any time during any calendar quarter based on an estimate of the maximum tax liability. If a company makes 1 or more interim distributions for a calendar year, and the aggregate amount of those distributions exceeds the maximum amount that the company could have distributed based on a single annual computation, any subsequent distribution by the company under this paragraph shall be reduced by an amount equal to the excess amount distributed.

(9) After making any distributions as provided in paragraph (8), a company with participating securities outstanding may distribute the balance of income to its investors, specifically including the Administration, in the per centums specified in paragraph (11), if there are no accumulated and unpaid prioritized payments and if all amounts due the Administration pursuant to paragraph (11) have been paid in full, subject to the following conditions:

(A) As of the date of the proposed distribution, if the amount of leverage outstanding is more than 200 per centum of the amount of private capital, any amounts distributed shall be made to private investors and to the Administration in the ratio of leverage to private capital.

(B) As of the date of the proposed distribution, if the amount of leverage outstanding is more than 100 per centum but not more than 200 per centum of the amount of private capital, 50 per centum of any amounts distributed shall be made to the Administration and 50 per centum shall be made to the private investors.

(C) If the amount of leverage outstanding is 100 per centum, or less, of the amount of private capital, the ratio shall be that for distribution of profits as provided in paragraph (11).

(D) Any amounts received by the Administration under subparagraph (A) or (B) shall be applied first as profit participation as provided in paragraph (11) and any remainder shall be applied as a prepayment of the principal amount of the participating securities or debentures.

(10) After making any distributions pursuant to paragraph (8), a company with participating securities outstanding may return capital to its investors, specifically including the Administration, if there are no accumulated and unpaid prioritized payments and if all amounts due the Administration pursuant to paragraph (11) have been paid in full. Any distributions under this paragraph shall be made to private investors and to the Administration in the ratio of private capital to leverage as of the date of the proposed distribution: Provided, That if the amount of leverage outstanding is less than 50 per centum of the amount of private capital or $10,000,000, whichever is less, no distribution shall be required to be made to the Administration unless the Administration determines, on a case by case basis, to require distributions to the Administration to reduce the amount of outstanding leverage to an amount less than $10,000,000.

(11)

(A) A company which issues participating securities shall agree to allocate to the Administration a share of its profits determined by the relationship of its private capital to the amount of participating securities guaranteed by the Administration in accordance with the following:

(i) If the total amount of participating securities is 100 per centum of private capital or less, the company shall allocate to the Administration a per centum share computed as follows: the amount of participating securities divided by private capital times 9 per centum.

(ii) If the total amount of participating securities is more than 100 per centum but not greater than 200 per centum of private capital, the company shall allocate to the Administration a per centum share computed as follows:

(I) 9 per centum, plus

(II) 3 per centum of the amount of participating securities minus private capital divided by private capital.

(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph—

(i) in no event shall the total per centum required by this paragraph exceed 12 per centum, unless required pursuant to the provisions of (ii) below,

(ii) if, on the date the participating securities are marketed, the interest rate on Treasury bonds with a maturity of 10 years is a rate other than 8 per centum, the Administration shall adjust the rate specified in paragraph (A) above, either higher or lower, by the same per centum by which the Treasury bond rate is higher or lower than 8 per centum, and

(iii) this paragraph shall not be construed to create any ownership interest of the Administration in the company.

(12) A company may elect to make an in-kind distribution of securities only if such securities are publicly traded and marketable. The company shall deposit the Administration’s share of such securities for disposition with a trustee designated by the Administration or, at its option and with the agreement of the company, the Administration may direct the company to retain the Administration’s share. If the company retains the Administration’s share, it shall sell the Administration’s share and promptly remit the proceeds to the Administration. As used in this paragraph, the term “trustee” means a person who is knowledgeable about and proficient in the marketing of thinly traded securities.

(h) Computation of amounts due under participating securities

The computation of amounts due the Administration under participating securities shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(1) The formula in subsection (g)(11) of this section shall be computed annually and the Administration shall receive distributions of its profit participation at the same time as other investors in the company.

(2) The formula shall not be modified due to an increase in the private capital unless the increase is provided for in a proposed business plan submitted to and approved by the Administration.

(3) After distributions have been made, the Administration’s share of such distributions shall not be recomputed or reduced.

(4) If the company prepays or repays the participating securities, the Administration shall receive the requisite participation upon the distribution of profits due to any investments held by the company on the date of the repayment or prepayment.

(5) If a company is licensed on or before March 31, 1993, it may elect to exclude from profit participation all investments held on that date and in such case the Administration shall determine the amount of the future expenses attributable to such prior investment: Provided, That if the company issues participating securities to refinance debentures as authorized in subsection (g)(6) of this section, it may not elect to exclude profits on existing investments under this paragraph.

(i) Leverage fee

With respect to leverage granted by the Administration to a licensee, the Administration shall collect from the licensee a nonrefundable fee in an amount equal to 3 percent of the face amount of leverage granted to the licensee in the following manner: 1 percent upon the date on which the Administration enters into any commitment for such leverage with the licensee, and the balance of 2 percent (or 3 percent if no commitment has been entered into by the Administration) on the date on which the leverage is drawn by the licensee.

(j) Calculation of subsidy rate

All fees, interest, and profits received and retained by the Administration under this section shall be included in the calculations made by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to offset the cost (as that term is defined in section 661a of title 2) to the Administration of purchasing and guaranteeing debentures and participating securities under this chapter.

(k) Energy saving debentures

In addition to any other authority under this chapter, a small business investment company licensed in the first fiscal year after December 19, 2007, or any fiscal year thereafter may issue Energy Saving debentures.

U.S. Code

§ 683. Borrowing operations