As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2019.

Securities Act Registration No. 333-230014

Investment Company Act of 1940 File No. 814-00736

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM N-2

Registration Statement under the Securities Act Of 1933

PennantPark Investment Corporation

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

590 Madison Avenue

15th Floor

New York, NY 10022

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(212) 905-1000

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Arthur H. Penn

c/o PennantPark Investment Corporation

590 Madison Avenue

15th Floor

New York, NY 10022

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copies to:

Thomas Friedmann

David Harris

Dechert LLP

1900 K Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20006-1110

APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING:

As may be practicable after the effective date of this 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.    ☒

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

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

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such dates as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer and sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion

$750,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Subscription Rights

Debt Securities

Units

PennantPark Investment Corporation is a closed-end, externally managed, non-diversified investment company that has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Our investment objectives are to generate both current income and capital appreciation while seeking to preserve capital through debt and equity investments primarily made to U.S. middle-market companies in the form of first lien secured debt, second lien secured debt, subordinated debt and equity investments. We can offer no assurances that we will achieve our investment objectives.

We are managed by PennantPark Investment Advisers, LLC. PennantPark Investment Administration, LLC provides the administrative services necessary for us to operate.

We may offer, from time to time, in one or more offerings or series, together or separately, up to $750,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights, debt securities, or units, which we refer to, collectively, as the “securities.” We may sell our securities through underwriters or dealers, “at-the-market” to or through a market maker into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. The identities of such underwriters, dealers, market makers or agents, as the case may be, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms to be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. In the event we offer common stock, the offering price per share of our common stock exclusive of any underwriting commissions or discounts will not be less than the net asset value per share of our common stock at the time we make the offering except (1) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (2) with the consent of the majority of our common stockholders and approval of our board of directors, or (3)  under such circumstances as the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, may permit. See “Risk Factors” on page 9 and “Sales of Common Stock Below Net Asset Value” on page 64 of this prospectus for more information.

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “PNNT.” The last reported closing price for our common stock on April 11, 2019 was $7.04 per share, and our net asset value on December 31, 2018 was $9.05 per share.

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement contain important information you should know before investing in our securities. Please read them before you invest in our securities and keep them for future reference. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may also obtain such information free of charge or make stockholder inquiries by contacting us in writing at 590 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, by calling us collect at (212) 905-1000 or by visiting our website at www.pennantpark.com. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The SEC also maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains such information free of charge.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of the use of leverage. Before buying any of our securities, you should read the discussion of the material risks of investing in us in “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus.

Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Prospectus dated                     , 2019

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement when considering whether to purchase any securities offered by this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional information, or information different from that contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplements. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. We are offering to sell and seeking offers to buy, securities only in jurisdictions where offers are permitted. The information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus or such prospectus supplement. We will update these documents to reflect material changes only as required by law. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since then.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using the “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf registration process, we may offer from time to time up to $750,000,000 of our common stock, preferred stock, warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, subscription rights, debt securities, or units on the terms to be determined at the time of the offering. We may sell our securities through underwriters or dealers, “at-the-market” to or through a market maker, into an existing trading market or otherwise directly to one or more purchasers or through agents or through a combination of methods of sale. The identities of such underwriters, dealers, market makers or agents, as the case may be, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of this prospectus and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospectus may have changed since that date. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Please carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with any exhibits, before you make an investment decision.

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FEES AND EXPENSES

The following table will assist you in understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in shares of our common stock will bear directly or indirectly. However, we caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary from actual results. The following table should not be considered a representation of our future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than shown. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus or any prospectus supplements, if any, contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “you” or “us” or that “we” will pay, stockholders will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as investors in us.

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Example

The following example illustrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that you would pay on a $1,000 hypothetical investment in common shares, assuming (1) a 3.00% sales load (underwriting discounts and commissions) and offering expenses totaling 0.51%, (2) total net annual expenses of 7.65% of average net assets attributable to common shares as set forth in the table above (other than performance-based incentive fees) and (3) a 5% annual return.

This example and the expenses in the table above should not be considered a representation of our future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. The table above is provided to assist you in understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in our common stock will bear directly or indirectly. While the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. If we were to earn an annual return equal to or less than 5% from net investment income, the incentive fee under our Investment Management Agreement would not be earned or payable. If returns on our investments, including realized capital gains, result in an incentive fee, our expenses, and returns to investors, would be higher. The example assumes that all distributions are reinvested at NAV. Reinvestment of distributions under our dividend reinvestment plan may occur at a price per share that differs from NAV. See “Distributions” for more information.

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RISK FACTORS

Before you invest in our securities, you should be aware of various risks, including those described below. You should carefully consider these risk factors, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, before you decide whether to make an investment in our securities. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and/or operating results. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, our NAV, the trading price of our common stock, our Notes or any securities we may issue, may decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

RISKS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS AND STRUCTURE

Global capital markets could enter a period of severe disruption and instability. These market conditions have historically and could again have a materially adverse effect on debt and equity capital markets in the United States, which could have a materially negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The U.S. and global capital markets have, from time to time, experienced periods of disruption characterized by the freezing of available credit, a lack of liquidity in the debt capital markets, significant losses in the principal value of investments, the re-pricing of credit risk in the broadly syndicated credit market, the failure of major financial institutions and general volatility in the financial markets. During these periods of disruption, general economic conditions deteriorated with material and adverse consequences for the broader financial and credit markets, and the availability of debt and equity capital for the market as a whole, and financial services firms in particular, was reduced significantly. These conditions may reoccur for a prolonged period of time or materially worsen in the future. In addition, continuing uncertainty arising from the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union (the so called “Brexit”) could lead to further market disruptions and currency volatility, potentially weakening consumer, corporate and financial confidence and resulting in lower economic growth for companies that rely significantly on Europe for their business activities and revenues. We may in the future have difficulty accessing debt and equity capital markets, and a severe disruption in the global financial markets, deterioration in credit and financing conditions or uncertainty regarding U.S. government spending and deficit levels, Brexit or other global economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Volatility or a prolonged disruption in the credit markets could materially damage our business.

We are required to record our assets at fair value, as determined in good faith by our board of directors, in accordance with our valuation policy. As a result, volatility in the capital markets may have a material adverse effect on our valuations and our NAV, even if we hold investments to maturity. Volatility or dislocation in the capital markets may depress our stock price below our NAV per share and create a challenging environment in which to raise equity and debt capital. As a BDC, we are generally not able to issue additional shares of our common stock at a price less than our NAV without first obtaining approval for such issuance from our stockholders and our independent directors. Additionally, our ability to incur indebtedness is limited by the asset coverage ratio requirements for a BDC, as defined under the 1940 Act, exclusive of the SBA debentures pursuant to our SEC exemptive relief. Declining portfolio values negatively impact our ability to borrow additional funds under our Credit Facilities because our NAV is reduced for purposes of the asset coverage ratio. If the fair value of our assets declines substantially, we may fail to maintain the asset coverage ratio stipulated by the 1940 Act, which could, in turn, cause us to lose our status as a BDC and materially impair our business operations. A lengthy disruption in the credit markets could also materially decrease demand for our investments and could materially damage our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The significant disruptions in the capital markets experienced in the past has had, and may in the future have, a negative effect on the valuations of our investments and on the potential for liquidity events involving our

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investments. The debt capital that may be available to us in the future may be at a higher cost and have less favorable terms and conditions than those currently in effect. If our financing costs increase and we have no increase in interest income, then our net investment income will decrease. A prolonged inability to raise capital may require us to reduce the volume of investments we originate and could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. This may also increase the probability that other structural risks negatively impact us. These situations may arise due to circumstances that we may be unable to control, such as a lengthy disruption in the credit markets, a severe decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, a sharp economic downturn or recession or an operational problem that affects third parties or us, and could materially damage our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We could be subject to reduced availability and/or mandatory prepayments under our Credit Facilities and SBA debentures.

In addition to the asset coverage ratio requirements, our Credit Facilities contain various covenants which, if not complied with, could accelerate repayment under the Credit Facilities. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our borrowings under our Credit Facilities are collateralized by the assets in our investment portfolio, excluding those portfolio investments held by our SBIC Funds. The agreements governing the Credit Facilities require us to comply with certain financial and operational covenants. These covenants include:

In addition to the Credit Facilities, our SBIC Funds have issued SBA debentures that require us and our SBIC Funds to generate sufficient cash flow to make required interest payments. Further, our SBIC Funds must maintain a minimum capitalization that, if impaired, could materially and adversely affect our liquidity, financial condition and results of operations by accelerating repayment under the SBA debentures. Our borrowings under the SBA debentures are secured by the assets of our SBIC Funds.

Our continued compliance with these covenants depends on many factors, some of which are beyond our control. A material decrease in our NAV in connection with additional borrowings could result in an inability to comply with our obligation to restrict the level of indebtedness that we are able to incur in relation to the value of our assets or to maintain a minimum level of stockholders’ equity. This could have a material adverse effect on our operations, as it would reduce availability under the Credit Facilities and could trigger mandatory prepayment obligations under the terms of the Credit Facilities.

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities.

A number of entities compete with us to make the types of investments that we make in middle-market companies. We compete with public and private funds, including other BDCs, commercial and investment banks, commercial financing companies, CLO funds and, to the extent they provide an alternative form of financing, private equity funds. Additionally, alternative investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, also invest in middle-market companies. As a result, competition for investment opportunities at middle-market companies can be intense. Many of our potential competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do. For example, we believe some competitors have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that are not available to us. In addition, some of our competitors have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and establish more relationships than us. Furthermore, many of our competitors are not subject to the regulatory restrictions that the 1940 Act imposes on us as a BDC. We cannot assure you that the competitive pressures we

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face will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Also, as a result of this competition, we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, and we can offer no assurance that we will be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objectives.

Participants in our industry compete on several factors, including price, flexibility in transaction structuring, customer service, reputation, market knowledge and speed in decision-making. We do not seek to compete primarily based on the interest rates we offer, and we believe that some of our competitors may make loans with interest rates that are lower than the rates we offer. We may lose investment opportunities if we do not match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure. However, if we match our competitors’ pricing, terms and structure, we may experience decreased net interest income and increased risk of credit loss.

Our borrowers may default on their payments, which may have a materially negative effect on our financial performance.

Our primary business exposes us to credit risk, and the quality of our portfolio has a significant impact on our earnings. Credit risk is a component of our fair valuation of our portfolio companies. Negative credit events will lead to a decrease in the fair value of our portfolio companies.

In addition, market conditions have affected consumer confidence levels, which may harm the business of our portfolio companies and result in adverse changes in payment patterns. Increased delinquencies and default rates would negatively impact our results of operations. Deterioration in the credit quality of our portfolio could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If interest rates rise, some of our portfolio companies may not be able to pay the escalating interest on our loans and may default.

We make long-term loans and debt investments, which may involve a high degree of repayment risk. Our investments with a deferred interest feature, such as original issue discount, or OID, income and payment-in-kind, or PIK, interest, could represent a higher credit risk than investments that must pay interest in full in cash on a regular basis. We invest in companies that may have limited financial resources, typically are highly leveraged and may be unable to obtain financing from traditional sources. Accordingly, a general economic downturn or severe tightening in the credit markets could materially impact the ability of our borrowers to repay their loans, which could significantly damage our business. Numerous other factors may affect a borrower’s ability to repay its loan, including the failure to meet its business plan or a downturn in its industry. A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of its loans or foreclosure on the secured assets. This could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize our portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the loans or debt securities that we hold. In addition, our portfolio companies may have, or may be permitted to incur, other debt that ranks senior to or equally with our securities. This means that payments on such senior-ranking securities may have to be made before we receive any payments on our subordinated loans or debt securities. Deterioration in a borrower’s financial condition and prospects may be accompanied by deterioration in any related collateral and may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Any unrealized losses we experience on our investment portfolio may be an indication of future realized losses, which could reduce our income available for distribution.

As a BDC, we are required to carry our investments at fair value, which is derived from a market value or, if no market value is ascertainable or if market value does not reflect the fair value of such investment in the bona fide determination of our board of directors, then we would carry our investments at fair value, as determined in good faith by or under the direction of our board of directors. Decreases in the market values or fair values of our investments are recorded as unrealized depreciation or loss. Unrealized losses of any given portfolio company could be an indication of such company’s inability in the future to meet its repayment obligations to us.

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If the fair value of our portfolio companies reflects unrealized losses that are subsequently realized, we could experience reductions of our income available for distribution in future periods that could materially harm our results of operations and cause a material decline in the value of our publicly traded common stock.

We may be the target of litigation.

We may be the target of securities litigation in the future, particularly if the trading price of our common stock fluctuates significantly. We could also generally be subject to litigation, including derivative actions by our stockholders. Any litigation could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources from our business and cause a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are dependent upon our Investment Adviser’s key personnel for our future success, and if our Investment Adviser is unable to hire and retain qualified personnel or if our Investment Adviser loses any member of its management team, our ability to achieve our investment objectives could be significantly harmed.

We depend on the diligence, skill and network of business contacts of the senior investment professionals of our Investment Adviser for our future success. We also depend, to a significant extent, on PennantPark Investment Advisers’ access to the investment information and deal flow generated by these senior investment professionals and any others that may be hired by PennantPark Investment Advisers. Subject to the overall supervision of our board of directors, the managers of our Investment Adviser evaluate, negotiate, structure, close and monitor our investments. Our future success depends on the continued service of management personnel of our Investment Adviser. The departure of managers of PennantPark Investment Advisers could have a material adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objectives. In addition, we can offer no assurance that PennantPark Investment Advisers will remain our Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser has the right, under the Investment Management Agreement, to resign at any time upon 60 days’ written notice, whether we have found a replacement or not.

If our Investment Management Agreement is terminated, our costs under new agreements that we enter into may increase. In addition, we will likely incur significant time and expense in locating alternative parties to provide the services we expect to receive under our Investment Management Agreement. Any new investment management agreement would also be subject to approval by our stockholders.

We are exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates that may affect our cost of capital and net investment income.

Since we borrow money to make investments, our net investment income depends, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds and the rate at which we invest those funds. As a result, we can offer no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income. In periods of rising interest rates, our cost of funds will increase and the interest rate on investments with an interest rate floor will not increase until interest rates exceed the applicable floor, which will reduce our net investment income. We may use interest rate risk management techniques, such as total return swaps and interest rate swaps, in an effort to limit our exposure to interest rate fluctuations. These techniques may include various interest rate hedging activities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and applicable commodities laws. These activities may limit our ability to participate in the benefits of lower interest rates with respect to the hedged portfolio. Adverse developments resulting from changes in interest rates or hedging transactions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Also, we have limited experience in entering into hedging transactions and we will initially have to purchase or develop such expertise, which may diminish the actual benefits of any hedging strategy we employ. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” for more information.

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A rise in the general level of interest rates can be expected to lead to higher interest rates applicable to our debt investments once the interest rate exceeds the applicable floor. Accordingly, an increase in interest rates would make it easier for us to meet or exceed the incentive fee hurdle and may result in a substantial increase of the amount of incentive fees payable to our Investment Adviser with respect to Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income.

General interest rate fluctuations may have a substantial negative impact on our investments, the value of our common stock and our rate of return on invested capital. A reduction in interest rates may result in both lower interest rates on new investments and higher repayments on current investments with higher interest rates, which may have an adverse impact on our net investment income. An increase in interest rates could decrease the value of any investments we hold which earn fixed interest rates or are subject to interest rate floors and also could increase our interest expense on our Credit Facilities, thereby decreasing our net investment income. Also, an increase in interest rates available to investors could make an investment in our common stock less attractive if we are not able to increase our dividend rate, which could reduce the value of our common stock.

If general interest rates rise, there is a risk that the portfolio companies in which we hold floating rate securities will be unable to pay escalating interest amounts, which could result in a default under their loan documents with us. Rising interest rates could also cause portfolio companies to shift cash from other productive uses to the payment of interest, which may have a material adverse effect on their business and operations and could, over time, lead to increased defaults. In addition, rising interest rates may increase pressure on us to provide fixed rate loans to our portfolio companies, which could adversely affect our net investment income, as increases in our cost of borrowed funds would not be accompanied by increased interest income from such fixed-rate investments.

In July 2017, the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced the desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. Because the statements made by the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority are recent in nature, there is no definitive information regarding the future utilization of LIBOR or of any particular replacement rate. As such, the potential effect of any such event on our cost of capital and net investment income cannot yet be determined. If LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to renegotiate the credit agreements extending beyond 2021 with our portfolio companies that utilize LIBOR as a factor in determining the interest rate to replace LIBOR with the new standard that is established.

Our financial condition and results of operation depend on our ability to manage future growth effectively.

Our ability to achieve our investment objectives depends on our ability to grow, which depends, in turn, on our Investment Adviser’s ability to identify, invest in and monitor companies that meet our investment selection criteria. Accomplishing this result on a cost-effective basis is largely a function of our Investment Adviser’s structuring of the investment process, its ability to provide competent, attentive and efficient services to us and our access to financing on acceptable terms. The management team of PennantPark Investment Advisers has substantial responsibilities under our Investment Management Agreement. In order for us to grow, our Investment Adviser will need to hire, train, supervise and manage new employees. However, we can offer no assurance that any current or future employees will contribute effectively to the work of, or remain associated with, the Investment Adviser. We caution you that the principals of our Investment Adviser or Administrator may also be called upon to provide and currently do provide significant managerial assistance to portfolio companies and other investment vehicles, including other BDCs, which are managed by the Investment Adviser. Such demands on their time may distract them or slow our rate of investment. Any failure to manage our future growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are highly dependent on information systems and systems failures could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business depends on the communications and information systems, including financial and accounting systems, of the Investment Adviser, the Administrator and our sub-administrator. Any failure or interruption of

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such systems could cause delays or other problems in our activities. This, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not replicate the historical performance of other investment companies and funds with which our senior and other investment professionals have been affiliated.

The 1940 Act imposes numerous constraints on the investment activities of BDCs. For example, BDCs are required to invest at least 70% of their total assets primarily in securities of U.S. private companies or thinly traded public companies (public companies with a market capitalization of less than $250 million), cash, cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. These constraints may hinder the Investment Adviser’s ability to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities and to achieve our investment objectives. In addition, the investment philosophy and techniques used by the Investment Adviser may differ from those used by other investment companies and funds advised by the Investment Adviser. Accordingly, we can offer no assurance that we will replicate the historical performance of other investment companies and funds with which our senior and other investment professionals have been affiliated, and we caution that our investment returns could be substantially lower than the returns achieved by such other companies.

Any failure on our part to maintain our status as a BDC would reduce our operating flexibility.

If we do not remain a BDC, we might be regulated as a closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act, which would subject us to substantially more regulatory restrictions under the 1940 Act and correspondingly decrease our operating flexibility, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Loss of RIC tax status would substantially reduce our net assets and income available for debt service and distributions.

We have operated and continue to operate so as to maintain our election to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. If we meet the 90% Income Test, the Diversification Tests, and the Annual Distribution Requirement, we generally will not be subject to corporate-level income taxation on income we timely distribute, or deem to distribute, as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to our stockholders. We would cease to qualify for such tax treatment if we were unable to comply with these requirements. In addition, we may have difficulty meeting our Annual Distribution Requirement to our stockholders because, in certain cases, we may recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income. If we fail to qualify as a RIC, we will have to pay corporate-level taxes on all of our income whether or not we distribute it, which would substantially reduce the amount of income available for debt service as well as reduce and/or affect the character and amount of our distributions to our stockholders. Even if we qualify as a RIC, we generally will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax if we do not distribute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to our stockholders in respect of each calendar year of an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of our net ordinary income (subject to certain deferrals and elections) for the calendar year, (2) 98.2% of the excess, if any, of our capital gains over our capital losses, or capital gain net income (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year plus (3) the sum of any net ordinary income plus capital gain net income for preceding years that was not distributed during such years and on which we did not incur any federal income tax, or the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement.

We may have difficulty paying our Annual Distribution Requirement if we recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income.

For federal income tax purposes, we include in income certain amounts that we have not yet received in cash, such as OID and PIK interest, which represents interest added to the loan balance and due at the end of the loan term. OID, which could be significant relative to our overall investment assets, and increases in loan

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balances as a result of PIK interest will be included in income before we receive any corresponding cash payments. We also may be required to include in income certain other amounts that we will not receive in cash, such as amounts attributable to foreign currency transactions. Our investments with a deferred interest feature, such as PIK interest, may represent a higher credit risk than loans for which interest must be paid in full in cash on a regular basis. For example, even if the accounting conditions for income accrual are met, the borrower could still default when our actual collection is scheduled to occur upon maturity of the obligation.

The part of the incentive fee payable by us that relates to our net investment income is computed and paid on income that may include interest that has been accrued but not yet received in cash. If a portfolio company defaults on a loan that is structured to provide PIK or OID interest, it is possible that accrued interest previously used in the calculation of the incentive fee will become uncollectible.

If we are unable to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement, we may have to sell some of our investments at times or prices we would not consider advantageous, or raise additional debt or equity capital or reduce new investment originations to meet these distribution requirements, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we are not able to obtain cash from other sources, we may lose our ability to be subject to tax as a RIC and thus be subject to corporate-level income tax.

Recently passed legislation will allow us to incur additional leverage.

A BDC has historically been able to issue “senior securities,” including borrowing money from banks or other financial institutions, only in amounts such that its asset coverage, as defined in Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act, equals at least 200% after such incurrence or issuance. In March 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (which includes the SBCAA) was signed into law and amended the 1940 Act to decrease this percentage from 200% (i.e., $1 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) to 150% (i.e., $2 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) for a BDC that has received either stockholder approval or approval of a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of its board of directors of the application of such lower asset coverage ratio to the BDC. On February 5, 2019, our stockholders approved such reduction, as approved by our board of directors on November 13, 2018. If we comply with the applicable disclosure requirements, we will be able to incur additional indebtedness, which may increase the risk of investing in us. Under the 200% minimum asset coverage ratio, the Company is permitted to borrow up to one dollar for investment purposes for every one dollar of investor equity and, under the 150% minimum asset coverage ratio, the Company will be permitted to borrow up to two dollars for investment purposes for every one dollar of investor equity. In other words, Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act permits BDCs to potentially increase their debt-to-equity ratio from a maximum of 1-to-1 to a maximum of 2-to-1. In addition, since our base management fee is determined and payable based upon our average adjusted gross assets, which includes any borrowings for investment purposes, our base management fee expense may increase if we incur additional leverage. Effective February 5, 2019, base management fees have been reduced from 1.50% to 1.00% on gross assets that exceed 200% of the Company’s total net assets as of the immediately preceding quarter-end.

Because we intend to distribute substantially all of our income to our stockholders to maintain our ability to be subject to tax as a RIC, we will need to raise additional capital to finance our growth. If funds are not available to us, we may need to curtail new investments, and our common stock value could decline.

In order to satisfy the requirements to be treated as a RIC for federal income tax purposes, we intend to distribute to our stockholders substantially all of our investment company taxable income and net capital gains each taxable year. However, we may retain all or a portion of our net capital gains and pay applicable income taxes with respect thereto and elect to treat such retained net capital gains as deemed dividend distributions to our stockholders.

Until February 5, 2019, as a BDC, under the 1940 Act, we were not permitted to incur indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we had an asset coverage for total borrowings of at least 200% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% of the value of our assets). In March 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations

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Act of 2018 (which includes the SBCAA) was signed into law and amended the 1940 Act to decrease this percentage from 200% (i.e., $1 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) to 150% (i.e., $2 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) for a BDC that has received either stockholder approval or approval of a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of its board of directors of the application of such lower asset coverage ratio to the BDC. On November 13, 2018 and February 5, 2019, our board of directors, including a “required majority” (as such term is defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act), and our stockholders, respectively, approved such reduction. As a result, as of February 6, 2019, the asset coverage requirements applicable to us for senior securities was reduced from 200% to 150%. As of such date, if we comply with the applicable disclosure requirements, we are able to incur additional indebtedness, which may increase the risk of investing in us. This requirement limits the amount we may borrow. If the value of our assets declines, we may be unable to satisfy this test. If that happens, we may be required to sell a portion of our investments or sell additional common stock and, depending on the nature of our leverage, to repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales and repayments may be disadvantageous. In addition, the issuance of additional securities could dilute the percentage ownership of our current stockholders in us.

We are partially dependent on our SBIC Funds for cash distributions to enable us to meet the RIC distribution requirements. Our SBIC Funds may be limited by the SBA regulations governing SBICs from making certain distributions to us that may be necessary to fulfill our requirements to be treated as a RIC for federal income tax purposes. We may have to request a waiver of the SBA’s restrictions for our SBIC Funds to make certain distributions to enable us to be subject to tax as a RIC. We cannot assure you that the SBA will grant such waiver, and if our SBIC Funds are unable to obtain a waiver, compliance with the SBA regulations may cause us to incur a corporate-level income tax.

Regulations governing our operation as a BDC will affect our ability to, and the way in which we, raise additional capital.

Our business requires a substantial amount of capital. We may acquire additional capital from the issuance of additional senior securities or other indebtedness, the issuance of additional shares of our common stock, the issuance of warrants or subscription rights to purchase certain of our securities, or from securitization transactions or through SBA debentures. However, we may not be able to raise additional capital in the future on favorable terms or at all. We may issue debt securities or preferred securities, which we refer to collectively as “senior securities,” and we may borrow money from banks, through the SBA debenture program or other financial institutions, up to the maximum amount permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the asset coverage ratio requirements permit us to issue senior securities or incur indebtedness subject to certain limitations, exclusive of the SBA debentures pursuant to our SEC exemptive relief. Our ability to pay distributions or issue additional senior securities would be restricted if our asset coverage ratio was not met. If the value of our assets declines, we may be unable to satisfy the asset coverage ratio. If that happens, we may be required to liquidate a portion of our investments and repay a portion of our indebtedness at a time when such sales may be disadvantageous, which could materially damage our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Our SBIC Funds may be unable to make distributions to us that will enable us to meet or maintain RIC tax status.

In order for us to continue to qualify for RIC tax treatment and to minimize corporate-level income taxes, we will be required to distribute substantially all of our consolidated investment company taxable income and capital gains net income, including income from our SBIC Funds, each taxable year as dividends to our stockholders. We will be partially dependent on our SBIC Funds for cash distributions to enable us to meet the RIC distribution requirements. Our SBIC Funds may be limited by SBA regulations governing SBICs from making certain distributions to us that may be necessary to maintain our status as a RIC. We may have to request a waiver of the SBA’s restrictions for our SBIC Funds to make certain distributions to maintain our RIC tax status. We cannot assure you that the SBA will grant such waiver and if our SBIC Funds are unable to obtain a waiver, compliance with the SBA regulations may result in corporate level income tax on us.

Our SBIC Funds are licensed by the SBA and are subject to SBA regulations.

Our wholly owned subsidiaries, SBIC LP and SBIC II, received licenses to operate as SBICs under the 1958 Act and are regulated by the SBA. The SBA places certain limitations on the financing terms of investments by SBICs in portfolio companies and regulates the types of financings and prohibits investing in certain industries. Compliance with SBIC requirements may cause our SBIC Funds to make investments at lower rates in order to qualify investments under the SBA regulations.

Further, SBA regulations require that a licensed SBIC be periodically examined and audited by the SBA to determine its compliance with the relevant regulations. If our SBIC Funds fail to comply with applicable regulations, the SBA could, depending on the severity of the violation, limit or prohibit their use of debentures, declare outstanding debentures immediately due and payable, and/or limit them from making new investments. In addition, the SBA could revoke or suspend our SBIC Funds’ licenses for willful or repeated violation of, or willful or repeated failure to observe, any provision of the 1958 Act or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder. These actions by the SBA would, in turn, negatively affect us because our SBIC Funds are our wholly owned subsidiaries.

SBA-guaranteed debentures are non-recourse to us, have a 10-year maturity, and may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The interest rate of SBA-guaranteed debentures is fixed at the time of issuance at a market-driven spread over 10-year U.S. Treasury Notes. Leverage through SBA-guaranteed debentures is subject to required capitalization thresholds. Current SBA regulations limit the amount that any single SBIC may borrow to a maximum of $175.0 million, which is up to twice its regulatory capital, and a maximum of $350.0 million as part of a group of SBICs under common control.

We currently use borrowed funds to make investments and are exposed to the typical risks associated with leverage.

Because we borrow funds to make investments, we are exposed to increased risk of loss due to our use of debt to make investments. A decrease in the value of our investments will have a greater negative impact on the NAV attributable to our common stock than it would if we did not use debt. Our ability to pay distributions may be restricted when our asset coverage ratio is not met, exclusive of the SBA debentures pursuant to SEC exemptive relief, and any cash that we use to service our indebtedness is not available for distribution to our common stockholders.

Our current debt is governed by the terms of our Credit Facilities and the SBA debentures and future debt may be governed by an indenture or other instrument containing covenants restricting our operating flexibility.

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We, and indirectly our stockholders, bear the cost of issuing and servicing debt. Any convertible or exchangeable securities that we issue in the future may have rights, preferences and privileges more favorable than those of our common stock and may also carry leverage related risks. Leverage magnifies the potential risks for loss and the risks of investing in us, both as detailed below.

Additionally, our SBIC Funds have received borrowed funds and may in the future receive funds from the SBA through its debenture program. In connection with the filing of its initial SBA license application, PennantPark Investment received exemptive relief, in 2011, from the SEC to permit us to exclude the debt of our SBIC Funds from our consolidated asset coverage ratio. Our ratio of total assets on a consolidated basis to outstanding indebtedness may be less than the applicable asset coverage ratio, which while providing increased investment flexibility, would also increase our exposure to risks associated with leverage.

If we incur additional debt, it could increase the risk of investing in our shares.

We have indebtedness outstanding pursuant to our Credit Facilities and SBA debentures and expect in the future to borrow additional amounts under our Credit Facilities or other debt securities, subject to market availability, and, may increase the size of our Credit Facilities. We cannot assure you that our leverage will remain at current levels. The amount of leverage that we employ will depend upon our assessment of the market and other factors at the time of any proposed borrowing. Lenders have fixed dollar claims on our assets that are superior to the claims of our common stockholders or preferred stockholders, if any, and we have granted a security interest in our assets, excluding those of our SBIC Funds, in connection with our Credit Facilities borrowings. In the case of a liquidation event, those lenders would receive proceeds before our stockholders. Additionally, the SBA, as a lender and an administrative agent, has a superior claim over the assets of our SBIC Funds in relation to our other creditors. Any future debt issuance will increase our leverage and may be subordinate to our Credit Facilities and SBA debentures. In addition, borrowings or debt issuances and SBA debentures, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for loss or gain on amounts invested and, therefore, increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique. If the value of our assets decreases, then leveraging would cause the NAV attributable to our common stock to decline more than it otherwise would have had we not utilized leverage. Similarly, any decrease in our revenue would cause our net income to decline more than it would have had we not borrowed funds and could negatively affect our ability to make distributions on our common or preferred stock. Our ability to service any debt that we incur depends largely on our financial performance and is subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures.

Until February 5, 2019, as a BDC, under the 1940 Act, we were not permitted to incur indebtedness unless immediately after such borrowing we had an asset coverage for total borrowings of at least 200% (i.e., the amount of debt may not exceed 50% of the value of our assets). In March 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (which includes the SBCAA) was signed into law and amended the 1940 Act to decrease this percentage from 200% (i.e., $1 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) to 150% (i.e., $2 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) for a BDC that has received either stockholder approval or approval of a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of its board of directors of the application of such lower asset coverage ratio to the BDC.

On November 13, 2018 and February 5, 2019, our board of directors, including a “required majority” (as such term is defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act), and our stockholders, respectively, approved such reduction. As a result, as of February 6, 2019, the asset coverage requirements applicable to us for senior securities was reduced from 200% to 150%. As of such date, if we comply with the applicable disclosure requirements, we are able to incur additional indebtedness, which may increase the risk of investing in us.

As of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, our asset coverage ratio, as computed in accordance with the 1940 Act, was 248% and 291%, respectively. Since our leverage, including SBA debentures outstanding, was 91% and 80% of our net assets as of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, respectively, we would have to receive an annual return of at least 1.98% and 1.75%, respectively, to cover annual interest payments.

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As of December 31, 2018, we had outstanding borrowings of $174.1 million under our Credit Facility, $250.0 million outstanding under our 2019 Notes and $150.0 million outstanding under the SBA debentures. Our consolidated debt outstanding was $574.1 million and had a weighted average annual interest rate at the time of 4.10%, exclusive of the fee on undrawn commitment on our Credit Facility and 3.43% of upfront fees on the SBA debentures. To cover the annual interest on our borrowings of $574.1 million outstanding as of December 31, 2018, at the weighted average annual rate of 4.10%, we would have to receive an annual yield of at least 1.98%. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and actual interest rates on our Credit Facility or any future borrowings are likely to fluctuate. The costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the management fee or incentive fee payable to our Investment Adviser, are and will be borne by our common stockholders.

The following table is designed to illustrate the effect on the return to a holder of our common stock of the leverage created by our use of borrowing as of December 31, 2018 of 46% of total assets (including such borrowed funds), at the current interest rate at the time of 4.10%, and assumes hypothetical annual returns on our portfolio of minus 10 to plus 10 percent. The table also assumes that we will maintain a constant level of leverage and weighted average interest rate. The amount of leverage and cost of borrowing that we use will vary from time to time. As can be seen, leverage generally increases the return to stockholders when the portfolio return is positive and decreases return when the portfolio return is negative. Actual returns may be greater or less than those appearing in the table.

We may in the future determine to fund a portion of our investments with preferred stock, which is another form of leverage and would magnify the potential for loss and the risks of investing in us.

Preferred stock, which is another form of leverage, has the same risks to our common stockholders as borrowings because the distributions on any preferred stock we issue must be cumulative. If we issue preferred securities they would rank “senior” to common stock in our capital structure. Payment of distributions on, and repayment of the liquidation preference of, such preferred stock would typically take preference over any distributions or other payments to our common stockholders. Also, preferred stockholders are not typically subject to any of our expenses or losses and are not entitled to participate in any income or appreciation in excess of their stated preference. Furthermore, preferred stockholders would have separate voting rights and may have rights, preferences or privileges more favorable than those of our common stockholders. Also, the issuance of preferred securities could have the adverse effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for our common stockholders or otherwise be in the best interest of stockholders.

We may in the future determine to fund a portion of our investments with debt securities, which would magnify the potential for loss and the risks of investing in us.

As a result of the issuance of the SBA debentures and borrowings under our Credit Facilities, we are exposed to typical risks associated with leverage, including an increased risk of loss and an increase in expenses,

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which are ultimately borne by our common stockholders. Payment of interest on such debt securities must take preference over any other distributions or other payments to our common stockholders. If we issue additional debt securities in the future, it is likely that such securities will be governed by an indenture or other instrument containing covenants restricting our operating flexibility. In addition, such securities may be rated by rating agencies, and in obtaining a rating for such securities, we may be required to abide by operating and investment guidelines that could further restrict our operating flexibility. Furthermore, any cash that we use to service our indebtedness would not be available for the payment of distributions to our common stockholders.

Our credit ratings may not reflect all risks of an investment in our debt securities.

Our credit ratings, if any, are an assessment of our ability to pay our obligations. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of any publicly issued debt securities. Our credit ratings may not reflect the potential impact of risks related to market conditions or other factors discussed above on the market value of, or trading market for, any publicly issued debt securities. Rating agencies have reviewed, and may continue to review, our credit ratings and those of other BDCs in light of the SBCAA as well as any corresponding changes to asset coverage ratios and, in certain cases, downgrade such ratings. Such a downgrade in our credit ratings may adversely affect our securities.

Market conditions may make it difficult to extend the maturity of or refinance our existing indebtedness and any failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our Credit Facility and the BNP Credit Facility mature in May 2022 and February 2024, respectively. Additionally, our SBA debentures mature between March 2026 and March 2028. We utilize proceeds from the Credit Facilities and our SBA debentures to make investments in our portfolio companies. The duration of many of our investments exceeds the duration of our indebtedness under our Credit Facilities and certain of our SBA debentures. This means that we will have to extend the maturity of our Credit Facilities or refinance our indebtedness in order to avoid selling investments at maturity of any of our debt investments, at which time such sales may be at prices that are disadvantageous to us, which could materially damage our business. In addition, future market conditions may affect our ability to renew or refinance our Credit Facilities and our SBA debentures on terms as favorable as those in our existing indebtedness. If we fail to extend or refinance the indebtedness by the time it becomes due and payable, holders of the debt and/or the administrative agent may elect to exercise various remedies, including the sale of all or a portion of the collateral securing such indebtedness, subject to certain restrictions, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments. If we are required to sell our investments on short-term notice, we may not receive the value that we have recorded for such investments, and this could materially affect our results of operations.

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There are significant potential conflicts of interest which could impact our investment returns.

The professionals of the Investment Adviser and Administrator may serve as officers, directors or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do or of investment funds managed by affiliates of us that currently exist or may be formed in the future. The Investment Adviser and Administrator may be engaged by such funds at any time and without the prior approval of our stockholders or our board of directors. Our board of directors monitors any potential conflict that may arise upon such a development. Accordingly, if this occurs, they may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. Currently, the executive officers and directors, as well as the current senior investment professionals of the Investment Adviser, may serve as officers and directors of our controlled affiliates and affiliated funds. In addition, we note that any affiliated investment vehicles currently formed or formed in the future and managed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates may have overlapping investment objectives with our own and, accordingly, may invest in asset classes similar to those targeted by us. As a result, the Investment Adviser may face conflicts in allocating investment opportunities between us and such other entities. Although the Investment Adviser will endeavor to allocate investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner, it is possible that, in the future, we may not be given the opportunity to participate in investments made by investment funds managed by the Investment Adviser or an investment manager affiliated with the Investment Adviser. In any such case, when the Investment Adviser identifies an investment, it is forced to choose which investment fund should make the investment. We may co-invest on a concurrent basis with any other affiliates that the Investment Adviser currently has or forms in the future, subject to compliance with applicable regulations and regulatory guidance, our exemptive relief and our allocation procedures.

In the ordinary course of our investing activities, we pay investment advisory and incentive fees to the Investment Adviser, and reimburse the Investment Adviser for certain expenses it incurs. As a result, investors in our common stock invest on a “gross” basis and receive distributions on a “net” basis after expenses, resulting in a lower rate of return than an investor might achieve through direct investments. Accordingly, there may be times when the management team of the Investment Adviser has interests that differ from those of our stockholders, giving rise to a conflict. For example, the Investment Adviser may seek to invest in more speculative investments in order to increase its incentive fee, which practice could result in higher investment losses, particularly during economic downturns.

We have entered into a license agreement, or the License Agreement, with PennantPark Investment Advisers, pursuant to which the Investment Adviser has agreed to grant us a royalty-free non-exclusive license to use the name “PennantPark.” The License Agreement will expire (i) upon expiration or termination of the Investment Management Agreement, (ii) if the Investment Adviser ceases to serve as our investment adviser, (iii) by either party upon 60 days’ written notice or (iv) by the Investment Adviser at any time in the event we assign or attempt to assign or sublicense the License Agreement or any of our rights or duties thereunder without the prior written consent of the Investment Adviser. Other than with respect to this limited license, we have no legal right to the “PennantPark” name.

In addition, we pay PennantPark Investment Administration, an affiliate of the Investment Adviser, our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by PennantPark Investment Administration in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement, including rent and our allocable portion of the cost of our Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer and their respective staffs. These arrangements may create conflicts of interest that our board of directors must monitor.

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We are subject to risks associated with cybersecurity and cyber incidents.

Our business relies on secure information technology systems. These systems are subject to potential attacks, including through adverse events that threaten the confidentiality, integrity or availability of our information resources (i.e., cyber incidents). These attacks could involve gaining unauthorized access to our information systems for purposes of misappropriating assets, stealing confidential information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption and result in disrupted operations, misstated or unreliable financial data, liability for stolen assets or information, increased cybersecurity protection and insurance costs, litigation and damage to our business relationships, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. As our reliance on technology has increased, so have the risks posed to our information systems, both internal and those provided by the Investment Adviser and third-party service providers. We, along with our Investment Adviser, have implemented processes, procedures and internal controls to help mitigate cybersecurity risks and cyber intrusions, but these measures, as well as our increased awareness of the nature and extent of the risk of a cyber incident, may be ineffective and do not guarantee that a cyber incident will not occur or that our financial results, operations or confidential information will not be negatively impacted by such an incident.

We may experience fluctuations in our quarterly results.

We could experience fluctuations in our quarterly operating results due to a number of factors, including the interest rate payable on the debt securities we acquire, the default rate on such securities, the level of our expenses, variations in, and the timing of the recognition of, realized and unrealized gains or losses, the degree to which we encounter competition in our markets and general economic conditions. However, as a result of our irrevocable election to apply the fair value option to our Credit Facilities, future decreases of fair value of our debt is expected to have a corresponding increase to our NAV. Similarly, future increases in the fair value of our debt may have a corresponding decrease to our NAV. Any future indebtedness that we elect the fair value option for may have similar effects on our NAV as our Credit Facilities. This is expected to mitigate volatility in our earnings and NAV. As a result of these factors, results for any period should not be relied upon as being indicative of performance in future periods.

Holders of any preferred stock that we may issue will have the right to elect members of the board of directors and have class voting rights on certain matters.

The 1940 Act requires that holders of shares of preferred stock must be entitled as a class to elect two directors at all times and to elect a majority of the directors if distributions on such preferred stock are in arrears by two years or more, until such arrearage is eliminated. In addition, certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock, including conversion to open-end status and, accordingly, preferred stockholders could veto any such changes in addition to any ability of common and preferred stockholders, voting together as a single class, to veto such matters. Restrictions imposed on the declarations and payment of distributions to the holders of our common stock and preferred stock, both by the 1940 Act and by requirements imposed by rating agencies, might impair our ability to maintain our qualification as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may in the future issue securities for which there is no public market and for which we expect no public market to develop.

In order to raise additional capital, we may issue debt or other securities for which no public market exists, and for which no public market is expected to develop. If we issue shares of our common stock as a component of a unit security, we would expect the common stock to separate from the other securities in such unit after a period of time or upon occurrence of an event and to trade publicly on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, which may cause volatility in our publicly traded common stock. To the extent we issue securities for which no

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public market exists and for which no public market develops, a purchaser of such securities may not be able to liquidate the investment without considerable delay, if at all. If a market should develop for our debt and other securities, the price may be highly volatile, and our debt and other securities may lose value.

If we issue preferred stock, debt securities or convertible debt securities, the NAV and market value of our common stock may become more volatile.

We cannot assure you that the issuance of preferred stock and/or debt securities would result in a higher yield or return to the holders of our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, debt securities and/or convertible debt would likely cause the NAV and market value of our common stock to become more volatile. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock, or the interest rate on the debt securities, were to approach the net rate of return on our investment portfolio, the benefit of leverage to the holders of our common stock would be reduced or entirely eliminated. If the dividend rate on the preferred stock, or the interest rate on the debt securities, were to exceed the net rate of return on our portfolio, the use of leverage would result in a lower rate of return to the holders of common stock than if we had not issued the preferred stock or debt securities. Any decline in the NAV of our investment would be borne entirely by the holders of our common stock. Therefore, if the market value of our portfolio were to decline, the leverage would result in a greater decrease in NAV to the holders of our common stock than if we were not leveraged through the issuance of preferred stock, debt securities or convertible debt. This decline in NAV would also tend to cause a greater decline in the market price for our common stock.

There is also a risk that, in the event of a sharp decline in the value of our net assets, we would be in danger of failing to maintain required asset coverage ratios or other covenants which may be required by the preferred stock, debt securities and/or convertible debt or risk a downgrade in the ratings of the preferred stock, debt securities and/or convertible debt or our current investment income might not be sufficient to meet the dividend requirements on the preferred stock or the interest payments on the debt securities. In order to counteract such an event, we might need to liquidate investments in order to fund redemption of some or all of the preferred stock, debt securities or convertible debt. In addition, we would pay (and the holders of our common stock would bear) all costs and expenses relating to the issuance and ongoing maintenance of the preferred stock, debt securities, convertible debt or any combination of these securities. Holders of preferred stock, debt securities, convertible debt or any combination of these securities may have different interests than holders of common stock and may at times have disproportionate influence over our business.

The trading market or market value of any publicly issued debt or convertible debt securities may be volatile.

If we publicly issue debt or convertible debt securities, they initially will not have an established trading market. We cannot assure investors that a trading market for our publicly issued debt or convertible debt securities would develop or be maintained if developed. In addition to our creditworthiness, many factors may have a material adverse effect on the trading market for, and market value of, our publicly issued debt or convertible debt securities.

These factors include the following:

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There also may be a limited number of buyers for our debt securities. This too may have a material adverse effect on the market value of the debt securities or the trading market for the debt securities. Our debt securities may include convertible features that cause them to more closely bear risks associated with an investment in our common stock.

Terms relating to debt redemption may have a material adverse effect on the return on any debt securities.

If we issue debt securities that are redeemable at our option, we may choose to redeem the debt securities at times when prevailing interest rates are lower than the interest rate paid on the debt securities. In addition, if the debt securities are subject to mandatory redemption, we may be required to redeem the debt securities at times when prevailing interest rates are lower than the interest rate paid on the debt securities. In this circumstance, a holder of our debt securities may not be able to reinvest the redemption proceeds in a comparable security at an effective interest rate as high as the debt securities being redeemed.

If we issue subscription rights or warrants for our common stock, your interest in us may be diluted as a result of such rights or warrants offering.

Stockholders who do not fully exercise rights or warrants issued to them in an offering of subscription rights or warrants to purchase our common stock should expect that they will, at the completion of an offering, own a smaller proportional interest in us than would otherwise be the case if they fully exercised their rights or warrants. We cannot state precisely the amount of any such dilution in share ownership because we do not know what proportion of the common stock would be purchased as a result of any such offering.

In addition, if the subscription price or warrant exercise price is less than our NAV per share of common stock at the time of an offering, then our stockholders would experience an immediate dilution of the aggregate NAV of their shares as a result of the offering. The amount of any such decrease in NAV is not predictable because it is not known at this time what the subscription price, warrant exercise price or NAV per share will be on the expiration date of such rights offering or what proportion of our common stock will be purchased as a result of any such offering.

The impact of recent financial reform legislation on us is uncertain.

In light of current conditions in the U.S. and global financial markets and the U.S. and global economy, legislators, the presidential administration and regulators have increased their focus on the regulation of the financial services industry. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the Dodd-Frank Act, institutes a wide range of reforms that will have an impact on financial institutions. However, the current presidential administration has announced its intention to repeal, amend or replace certain portions of the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations implemented thereunder. Given the uncertainty associated with the manner in which and whether the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act might be implemented, repealed, amended or replaced, the full impact such requirements will have on our business, results of operations or financial condition is unclear. While we cannot predict what effect any changes in the laws or regulations or their interpretations would have on us as a result of recent financial reform legislation, these changes could be materially adverse to us and our stockholders. Accordingly, we are continuing to evaluate the effect the Dodd-Frank Act or implementing its regulations or any repeal or revision thereto will have on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in laws or regulations governing our operations or those of our portfolio companies may adversely affect our business.

We and our portfolio companies are subject to laws and regulation at the local, state and federal levels. These laws and regulations, as well as their interpretation, may be changed from time to time. Accordingly, any change in these laws or regulations that govern our operations or those of our portfolio companies could have a

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material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In particular, on December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. This tax legislation lowers the general corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, makes changes regarding the use of net operating losses, repeals the corporate alternative minimum tax and makes significant changes with respect to the U.S. international tax rules. In addition, the legislation generally requires a holder that uses the accrual method of accounting for U.S. tax purposes to include certain amounts in income no later than the time such amounts are reflected on certain financial statements, which therefore if applicable would require us to accrue income earlier than under prior law, although the precise application of this rule is unclear at this time. The legislation also limits the amount or value of interest deductions of borrowers and in that way may potentially affect the loan market and our and our portfolio companies’ use of leverage. For individual taxpayers, the legislation reduces the maximum individual income tax rate and eliminates the deductibility of miscellaneous itemized deductions for taxable years 2018 through 2025. The impact of this new legislation is uncertain. See “Business—Regulation” for more information.

Uncertainty about presidential administration initiatives could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The current administration has called for significant changes to U.S. trade, healthcare, immigration, foreign and government regulatory policy. In this regard, there is significant uncertainty with respect to legislation, regulation and government policy at the federal level, as well as the state and local levels. Recent events have created a climate of heightened uncertainty and introduced new and difficult-to-quantify macroeconomic and political risks with potentially far-reaching implications. There has been a corresponding meaningful increase in the uncertainty surrounding interest rates, inflation, foreign exchange rates, trade volumes and fiscal and monetary policy. To the extent the U.S. Congress or the current administration implements changes to U.S. policy, those changes may impact, among other things, the U.S. and global economy, international trade and relations, unemployment, immigration, corporate taxes, healthcare, the U.S. regulatory environment, inflation and other areas. Although we cannot predict the impact, if any, of these changes to our business, they could adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Until we know what policy changes are made and how those changes impact our business and the business of our competitors over the long term, we will not know if, overall, we will benefit from them or be negatively affected by them.

Our board of directors may change our investment objectives, operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval.

Our board of directors has the authority to modify or waive certain of our operating policies and strategies without prior notice and without stockholder approval (except as required by the 1940 Act). However, absent stockholder approval, under the 1940 Act, we may not change the nature of our business so as to cease to be, or withdraw our election as, a BDC. We cannot predict the effect any changes to our current operating policies and strategies would have on our business, operating results and value of our common stock. Nevertheless, the effects may adversely affect our business and impact our ability to make distributions.

Our business and operations could be negatively affected if we become subject to stockholder activism, which could cause us to incur significant expense, hinder the execution of our investment strategy or impact our stock price.

Stockholder activism, which could take many forms, including making public demands that we consider certain strategic alternatives, engaging in public campaigns to attempt to influence our corporate governance and/or our management, and commencing proxy contests to attempt to elect the activists’ representatives or others to our board of directors, or arise in a variety of situations, has been increasing in the BDC space recently. While we are currently not subject to any stockholder activism, due to the potential volatility of our stock price and for a variety of other reasons, we may in the future become the target of stockholder activism. Stockholder activism could result in substantial costs and divert management’s and our board of directors’ attention and resources from

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our business. Additionally, such stockholder activism could give rise to perceived uncertainties as to our future and adversely affect our relationships with service providers and our portfolio companies. Also, we may be required to incur significant legal and other expenses related to any activist stockholder matters. Further, our stock price could be subject to significant fluctuation or otherwise be adversely affected by the events, risks and uncertainties of any stockholder activism.

RISKS RELATING TO THE ILLIQUID NATURE OF OUR PORTFOLIO ASSETS

We invest in illiquid assets, and our valuation procedures with respect to such assets may result in recording values that are materially different than the values we ultimately receive upon disposition of such assets.

All of our investments are recorded using broker or dealer quotes, if available, or at fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors. We expect that most, if not all, of our investments (other than cash and cash equivalents) and the fair values of the Credit Facilities will be classified as Level 3 under the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, or ASC 820. This means that the portfolio valuations will be based on unobservable inputs and our own assumptions about how market participants would price the asset or liability. We expect that inputs into the determination of fair values of our portfolio investments and Credit Facilities borrowings will require significant management judgment or estimation. Even if observable market data are available, such information may be the result of consensus pricing information or broker quotes, which include a disclaimer that the broker would not be held to such a price in an actual transaction. The non-binding nature of consensus pricing and/or quotes accompanied by such a disclaimer materially reduces the reliability of such information. As a result, there will be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.

Determining fair value requires that judgment be applied to the specific facts and circumstances of each portfolio investment while employing a consistently applied valuation process for the types of investments we make. In determining fair value in good faith, we generally obtain financial and other information from portfolio companies, which may represent unaudited, projected or pro forma financial information. Unlike banks, we are not permitted to provide a general reserve for anticipated loan losses; we are instead required by the 1940 Act to specifically fair value each individual investment on a quarterly basis. We record unrealized appreciation if we believe that our investment has appreciated in value. Likewise, we record unrealized depreciation if we believe that our investment has depreciated in value. We adjust quarterly the valuation of our portfolio to reflect our board of directors’ determination of the fair value of each investment in our portfolio. Any changes in fair value are recorded on our Consolidated Statements of Operations as net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation.

All of our investments are recorded at fair value as determined in good faith by our board of directors. Our board of directors uses the services of nationally recognized independent valuation firms to aid it in determining the fair value of our investments. The factors that may be considered in fair value pricing of our investments include the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and cash flows, the markets in which the portfolio company does business, comparison to publicly traded companies and other relevant factors. Because valuations may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the value received in an actual transaction. Additionally, valuations of private securities and private companies are inherently uncertain. Our NAV could be adversely affected if our determinations regarding the fair value of our investments were materially lower than the values that we ultimately realize upon the disposal of such investments.

The lack of liquidity in our investments may adversely affect our business.

We may acquire our investments directly from the issuer in privately negotiated transactions. Substantially all of these securities are subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or are otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities. We typically exit our investments when the portfolio company has a liquidity event such as a sale, refinancing, or initial public offering of the company, but we are generally not required to do so.

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The illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult or impossible for us to sell such investments if the need arises, particularly at times when the market for illiquid securities is substantially diminished. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded our investments, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a portfolio company to the extent that we have material non-public information regarding such portfolio company.

Investments purchased by us that are liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid due to events relating to the issuer of the investments, market events, economic conditions or investor perceptions. Domestic and foreign markets are complex and interrelated, so that events in one sector of the world markets or economy, or in one geographical region, can reverberate and have materially negative consequences for other market, economic or regional sectors in a manner that may not be foreseen and which may materially harm our business.

A general disruption in the credit markets could materially damage our business.

We are susceptible to the risk of significant loss if we are forced to discount the value of our investments in order to provide liquidity to meet our debt maturities. Our borrowings under our Credit Facilities are collateralized by the assets in our investment portfolio (excluding assets held by our SBIC Funds). A general disruption in the credit markets could result in diminished demand for our securities. In addition, with respect to over-the-counter traded securities, the continued viability of any over-the-counter secondary market depends on the continued willingness of dealers and other participants to purchase the securities.

If the fair value of our assets declines substantially, we may fail to maintain the asset coverage ratio stipulated by the 1940 Act, which could, in turn, cause us to lose our status as a BDC and materially impair our business operations. Our liquidity could be impaired further by an inability to access the capital markets or to draw down our Credit Facilities. These situations may arise due to circumstances that we may be unable to control, such as a general disruption in the credit markets, a severe decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, a sharp economic downturn or an operational problem that affects our counterparties or us, and could materially damage our business.

We may invest in over-the-counter securities, which have and may continue to face liquidity constraints, to provide us with liquidity.

The market for over-the-counter traded securities has and may continue to experience limited liquidity and other weakness as the viability of any over-the-counter secondary market depends on the continued willingness of dealers and other participants to purchase the securities.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR INVESTMENTS

Our investments in prospective portfolio companies may be risky, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

We intend to invest primarily in first lien secured debt, second lien secured debt, subordinated debt and selected equity investments issued by U.S. and foreign middle-market companies.

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In addition, investing in middle-market companies involves a number of significant risks, including:

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Under the 1940 Act we may invest up to 30% of our assets in investments that are not qualifying assets for BDCs. If we do not invest a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets, we could be precluded from investing in assets that we deem to be attractive.

As a BDC, we may not acquire any asset other than qualifying assets, as defined under the 1940 Act, unless at the time the acquisition is made such qualifying assets represent at least 70% of the value of our total assets. Qualifying assets include investments in U.S. operating companies whose securities are not listed on a national securities exchange and companies listed on a national securities exchange subject to a maximum market capitalization of $250 million. Qualifying assets also include cash, cash equivalents, government securities and high quality debt securities maturing in one year or less from the time of investment.

We believe that most of our debt and equity investments do and will constitute qualifying assets. However, we may be precluded from investing in what we believe are attractive investments if such investments are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 1940 Act. If we have not invested a sufficient portion of our assets in qualifying assets at the time of a proposed investment, we will be prohibited from making any additional investment that is not a qualifying asset and could be forced to forgo attractive investment opportunities. Similarly, these rules could prevent us from making follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies (which could result in the dilution of our position) or could require us to dispose of investments at inappropriate times in order to comply with the 1940 Act. If we need to dispose of such investments quickly, it would be difficult to dispose of such investments on favorable terms. For example, we may have difficulty in finding a buyer and, even if we do find a buyer, we may have to sell the investments at a substantial loss.

We are a non-diversified investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and therefore we generally are not limited with respect to the proportion of our assets that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.

We are classified as a non-diversified investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, which means that we are not limited by the 1940 Act with respect to the proportion of our assets that we may invest in securities of a single issuer, excluding limitations on investments in other investment companies and compliance with the RIC tax regulations. To the extent that we assume large positions in the securities of a small number of issuers, our NAV may fluctuate to a greater extent than that of a diversified investment company as a result of changes in the financial condition or the market’s assessment of the issuer. We may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. Beyond our income tax diversification requirements, or the Diversification Requirements, we do not have fixed guidelines for portfolio diversification, and our investments could be concentrated in relatively few portfolio companies or industries. Although we are classified as a non-diversified investment company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, we maintain the flexibility to operate as a diversified investment company and have done so for an extended period of time. To the extent that we operate as a non-diversified investment company in the future, we may be subject to greater risk.

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Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies and harm our operating results.

Many of our portfolio companies are susceptible to economic or industry centric slowdowns or recessions and may be unable to repay debt from us during these periods. Therefore, our non-performing assets are likely to increase, and the value of our portfolio is likely to decrease during these periods. Adverse economic conditions also may decrease the value of collateral securing some of our debt investments and the value of our equity investments. Economic slowdowns or recessions could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a material decrease in revenues, net income and assets. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. These events could prevent us from increasing investments and materially harm our operating results.

A portfolio company’s failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by us or other lenders could lead to defaults and potential termination of its debt and foreclosure on its secured assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize our portfolio company’s ability to meet its obligations under the debt securities that we hold. We may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting portfolio company, and any restructuring could further cause adverse effects on our business. Depending on the facts and circumstances of our investments and the extent of our involvement in the management of a portfolio company, upon the bankruptcy of a portfolio company, a bankruptcy court may recharacterize our debt investments as equity investments and subordinate all or a portion of our claim to that of other creditors. This could occur regardless of how we may have structured our investment. In addition, we cannot assure you that a bankruptcy court would not take actions contrary to our interests.

If we fail to make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies, this could materially impair the value of our portfolio.

Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, we may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments, in order to:

We have the discretion to make any follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources and regulatory considerations. We may elect not to make follow-on investments or otherwise lack sufficient funds to make those investments. Any failure to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of a portfolio company and our initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for us to increase our participation in a successful transaction or business. Even if we have sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, we may elect not to make a follow-on investment because we may not want to increase our concentration of risk, because we prefer other opportunities, or because we are inhibited by compliance with BDC requirements or the desire to maintain our RIC tax status.

Because we do not generally hold controlling equity interests in our portfolio companies, we are not in a position to exercise control over our portfolio companies or to prevent decisions by management of our portfolio companies that could decrease the value of our investments.

Because we do not generally have controlling equity positions in our portfolio companies, we are subject to the risk that a portfolio company may make business decisions with which we disagree, and the stockholders and management of a portfolio company may take risks or otherwise act in ways that are adverse to our interests. Due to the lack of liquidity for the debt and equity investments that we typically hold in our portfolio companies, we may not be able to dispose of our investments in the event we disagree with the actions of a portfolio company, and may therefore suffer a decrease in the market value of our investments.

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An investment strategy focused primarily on privately held companies, including controlling equity interests, presents certain challenges, including the lack of available or comparable information about these companies, a dependence on the talents and efforts of only a few key portfolio company personnel and a greater vulnerability to economic downturns.

We have invested and intend to continue to invest primarily in privately held companies. Generally, little public information exists about these companies, and we rely on the ability of our Investment Adviser’s investment professionals to obtain adequate information to evaluate the potential returns from investing in these companies. If they are unable to uncover all material information about these companies, we may not make a fully informed investment decision, and we may lose value on our investments. Also, privately held companies frequently have less diverse product lines and smaller market presence than larger competitors. These factors could have a material adverse impact on our investment returns as compared to companies investing primarily in the securities of public companies.

Our portfolio companies may incur debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, our investments in such companies and our portfolio companies may be highly leveraged.

We invest primarily in first lien secured debt, second lien secured debt and subordinated debt and equity investments issued by our portfolio companies. The portfolio companies usually will have, or may be permitted to incur, other debt that ranks equally with, or senior to, our investments, and they may be highly leveraged. By their terms, such debt instruments may provide that the holders are entitled to receive payment of interest or principal on or before the dates on which we are entitled to receive payments with respect to our debt investments. Also, in the event of insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of a portfolio company, holders of debt instruments ranking senior to our investment in that portfolio company would typically be entitled to receive payment in full before we receive any distribution in respect of our investment. After repaying such senior creditors, the portfolio company may not have any remaining assets to use for repaying its obligation to us. In the case of debt ranking equally with debt securities in which we invest, we would have to share on an equal basis any distributions with other creditors holding such debt in the event of an insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or bankruptcy of the relevant portfolio company.

The rights we may have with respect to the collateral securing any junior priority loans we make to our portfolio companies may also be limited pursuant to the terms of one or more intercreditor agreements (including agreements governing “first out” and “last out” structures) that we enter into with the holders of senior debt. Under such an intercreditor agreement, at any time that senior obligations are outstanding, we may forfeit certain rights with respect to the collateral to the holders of the senior obligations. These rights may include the right to commence enforcement proceedings against the collateral, the right to control the conduct of such enforcement proceedings, the right to approve amendments to collateral documents, the right to release liens on the collateral and the right to waive past defaults under collateral documents. We may not have the ability to control or direct such actions, even if as a result our rights as junior lenders are adversely affected.

Our incentive fee may induce the Investment Adviser to make speculative investments.

The incentive fee payable by us to PennantPark Investment Advisers may create an incentive for PennantPark Investment Advisers to make investments on our behalf that are risky or more speculative than would be the case in the absence of such compensation arrangement. The incentive fee payable to our Investment Adviser is calculated based on a percentage of our NAV. This may encourage our Investment Adviser to use leverage to increase the return on our investments. Under certain circumstances, the use of leverage may increase the likelihood of default, which would disfavor the holders of our common stock. In addition, our Investment Adviser will receive the incentive fee based, in part, upon net capital gains realized on our investments. Unlike that portion of the incentive fee based on income, there is no hurdle applicable to the portion of the incentive fee based on net capital gains. As a result, the Investment Adviser may have a tendency to invest more capital in investments that are likely to result in capital gains as compared to income producing securities. Such a practice

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could result in our investing in more speculative securities than would otherwise be the case, which could result in higher investment losses, particularly during economic downturns.

The part of our incentive fee payable by us to PennantPark Investment Advisers that relates to net investment income is computed and paid on income that has been accrued but that has not been received in cash. PennantPark Investment Advisers is not obligated to reimburse us for any such incentive fees even if we subsequently incur losses or never receive in cash the deferred income that was previously accrued. As a result, there is a risk that we will pay incentive fees with respect to income that we never receive in cash.

Any investments in distressed debt may not produce income and may require us to bear large expenses in order to protect and recover our investment.

Distressed debt investments may not produce income and may require us to bear certain additional expenses in order to protect and recover our investment. Therefore, to the extent we invest in distressed debt, our ability to achieve current income for our stockholders may be diminished. We also will be subject to significant uncertainty as to when and in what manner and for what value the distressed debt in which we invest will eventually be satisfied (e.g., through liquidation of the obligor’s assets, an exchange offer or plan of reorganization involving the distressed debt securities or a payment of some amount in satisfaction of the obligation). In addition, even if an exchange offer is made or plan of reorganization is adopted with respect to distressed debt we hold, there can be no assurance that the securities or other assets received by us in connection with such exchange offer or plan of reorganization will not have a lower value or income potential than may have been anticipated when the investment was made. Moreover, any securities received by us upon completion of an exchange offer or plan of reorganization may be restricted as to resale. If we participate in negotiations with respect to any exchange offer or plan of reorganization with respect to an issuer of distressed debt, we may be restricted from disposing of such securities.

Our investments in foreign securities may involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments.

Our investment strategy contemplates potential investments in securities of companies located outside of the United States. Investments in securities of companies located outside of the United States would not be qualifying assets under Section 55(a) of the 1940 Act. Investing in companies located outside of the United States may expose us to additional risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies. These risks include changes in exchange control regulations, political, economic and social instability, expropriation, imposition of foreign taxes, less liquid markets and less available information than is generally the case in the United States, higher transaction costs, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, less developed bankruptcy laws, difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations, lack of uniform accounting and auditing standards and greater price volatility.

Although most of our investments will be U.S. dollar-denominated, any investments denominated in a foreign currency will be subject to the risk that the value of a particular currency will change in relation to one or more other currencies. Among the factors that may affect currency values are trade balances, the level of interest rates, differences in relative values of similar assets in different currencies, long-term opportunities for investment and capital appreciation, economic and political developments. We may employ hedging techniques such as using our Credit Facilities’ multicurrency capability to minimize these risks, but we can offer no assurance that we will, in fact, hedge currency risk or, that if we do, such strategies will be effective.

We may make investments that cause our stockholders to bear investment advisory fees and other expenses on such investments in addition to our management fees and expenses.

We may invest, to the extent permitted by law, in the securities and instruments of other investment companies and companies that would be investment companies but are excluded from the definition of an investment company provided in Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act. To the extent we so invest, we will bear our

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ratable share of any such investment company’s expenses, including management and performance fees. We will also remain obligated to pay investment advisory fees, consisting of a base management fee and an incentive fee, to PennantPark Investment Advisers with respect to investments in the securities and instruments of other investment companies under our Investment Management Agreement. With respect to any such investments, each of our stockholders will bear his or her share of the investment advisory fees of PennantPark Investment Advisers as well as indirectly bearing the investment advisory fees and other expenses of any investment companies in which we invest.

We may be obligated to pay our Investment Adviser incentive compensation even if we incur a loss.

Our Investment Adviser is entitled to incentive compensation for each fiscal quarter in an amount equal to a percentage of the excess of our investment income for that quarter (before deducting incentive compensation, net operating losses and certain other items) above a threshold return for that quarter. Our Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income for incentive compensation purposes excludes realized and unrealized capital losses that we may incur in the fiscal quarter, even if such capital losses result in a net loss on our Consolidated Statements of Operations for that quarter. Thus, we may be required to pay the Investment Adviser incentive compensation for a fiscal quarter even if there is a decline in the value of our portfolio, NAV or we incur a net loss for that quarter. In addition, increases in interest rates may increase the amount of incentive fees we pay to the Investment Adviser even though our performance relative to the market has not increased.

We may expose ourselves to risks if we engage in hedging transactions.

If we engage in hedging transactions, we may expose ourselves to risks associated with such transactions. We may borrow under a multicurrency credit facility in currencies selected to minimize our foreign currency exposure or, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and applicable commodities laws, use instruments such as forward contracts, currency options and interest rate swaps, caps, collars and floors to seek to hedge against fluctuations in the relative values of our portfolio positions from changes in currency exchange rates and market interest rates. Hedging against a decline in the values of our interest rate or currency positions does not eliminate the possibility of fluctuations in the values of such positions or prevent losses if the values of such positions decline. However, such hedging designed to gain from those changes in interest rates or foreign currency exposures, for instance, may also limit the opportunity for gain if the changes in the underlying positions should move against such hedges. Moreover, it may not be possible to hedge against an exchange rate or interest rate fluctuation that is so generally anticipated that we are not able to enter into a hedging transaction at an acceptable price.

While we may enter into such transactions to seek to reduce currency exchange rate and interest rate risks, unanticipated changes in currency exchange rates or interest rates may result in worse overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions being hedged may vary. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we may not seek to establish a perfect correlation between such hedging instruments and the portfolio holdings being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation may prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. In addition, it may not be possible to hedge fully or perfectly against currency fluctuations affecting the value of securities denominated in non-U.S. currencies because the value of those securities is likely to fluctuate as a result of factors not related to currency fluctuations. Our ability to engage in hedging transactions may also be adversely affected by the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The effect of global climate change may impact the operations of our portfolio companies.

There may be evidence of global climate change. Climate change creates physical and financial risk and some of our portfolio companies may be adversely affected by climate change. For example, the needs of customers of energy companies vary with weather conditions, primarily temperature and humidity. To the extent

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weather conditions are affected by climate change, energy use could increase or decrease depending on the duration and magnitude of any changes. Increases in the cost of energy could adversely affect the cost of operations of our portfolio companies if the use of energy products or services is material to their business. A decrease in energy use due to weather changes may affect some of our portfolio companies’ financial condition, through decreased revenues. Extreme weather conditions in general require more system backup, adding to costs, and can contribute to increased system stresses, including service interruptions.

RISKS RELATING TO AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMON STOCK

We may obtain the approval of our stockholders to issue shares of our common stock at prices below the then current NAV per share of our common stock. If we receive such approval from stockholders in the future, we may issue shares of our common stock at a price below the then current NAV per share of common stock. Any such issuance could materially dilute your interest in our common stock and reduce our NAV per share.

We may seek to obtain from our stockholders and they may approve a proposal that authorizes us to issue shares of our common stock at prices below the then current NAV per share of our common stock in one or more offerings for a 12-month period. Such approval would allow us to access the capital markets in a way that we were previously unable to do as a result of restrictions that, absent stockholder approval, apply to BDCs under the 1940 Act.

Any sale or other issuance of shares of our common stock at a price below NAV per share will result in an immediate dilution to your interest in our common stock and a reduction of our NAV per share. This dilution would occur as a result of a proportionately greater decrease in a stockholder’s interest in our earnings and assets and voting interest in us than the increase in our assets resulting from such issuance. Because the number of future shares of common stock that may be issued below our NAV per share and the price and timing of such issuances are not currently known, we cannot predict the actual dilutive effect of any such issuance. We also cannot determine the resulting reduction in our NAV per share of any such issuance at this time. We caution you that such effects may be material, and we undertake to describe all the material risks and dilutive effects of any offerings we make at a price below our then current NAV in the future in a prospectus supplement issued in connection with any such offering.

The determination of NAV in connection with an offering of shares of common stock will involve the determination by our board of directors or a committee thereof that we are not selling shares of our common stock at a price below the then current NAV of our common stock at the time at which the sale is made or otherwise in violation of the 1940 Act unless we have previously received the consent of the majority of our common stockholders to do so and the board of directors decides such an offering is in the best interests of our common stockholders. Whenever we do not have current stockholder approval to issue shares of our common stock at a price per share below our then current NAV per share, the offering price per share (after any distributing commission or discount) will equal or exceed our then current NAV per share, based on the value of our portfolio securities and other assets determined in good faith by our board of directors as of a time within 48 hours (excluding Sundays and holidays) of the sale.

There is a risk that our stockholders may not receive distributions or that our distributions may not grow over time.

We intend to make distributions on a quarterly basis to our stockholders out of assets legally available for distribution. We cannot assure you that we will achieve investment results that will allow us to make a specified level of cash distributions or year-to-year increases in cash distributions. In addition, due to the asset coverage ratio requirements applicable to us as a BDC, we may be limited in our ability to make distributions. Further, if more stockholders opt to receive cash distributions rather than participate in our dividend reinvestment plan, we may be forced to liquidate some of our investments and raise cash in order to make distribution payments, which could materially harm our business. Finally, to the extent we make distributions to stockholders which include a

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return of capital, that portion of the distribution essentially constitutes a return of the stockholders’ investment. Although such return of capital may not be taxable, such distributions may increase an investor’s tax liability for capital gains upon the future sale of our common stock.

Investing in our shares may involve an above average degree of risk.

The investments we make in accordance with our investment objectives may result in a higher amount of risk and volatility than alternative investment options or loss of principal. Our investments in portfolio companies may be highly speculative and aggressive and therefore, an investment in our shares may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.

Sales of substantial amounts of our securities may have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities.

Sales of substantial amounts of our securities, or the availability of such securities for sale, could adversely affect the prevailing market prices for our securities. If this occurs and continues it could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of securities should we desire to do so.

We may allocate the net proceeds from any offering of our securities in ways with which you may not agree.

We have significant flexibility in investing the net proceeds of any offering of our securities and may use the net proceeds from an offering in ways with which you may not agree or for purposes other than those contemplated at the time of the offering.

Our shares may trade at discounts from NAV or at premiums that are unsustainable over the long term.

Shares of BDCs may trade at a market price that is less than the NAV that is attributable to those shares. Our shares have traded above and below our NAV. Our shares closed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market at $6.37 and $7.46 on December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, respectively. Our NAV per share was $9.05 and $9.11 as of the same dates. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount from NAV or at a premium that is unsustainable over the long term is separate and distinct from the risk that our NAV will decrease. It is not possible to predict whether our shares will trade at, above or below NAV in the future.

The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly.

The market price and liquidity of the market for shares of our common stock may be significantly affected by numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control and may not be directly related to our operating performance. These factors include:

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Since our initial listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, our shares of common stock have traded at a wide range of prices. We can offer no assurance that our shares of common stock will not display similar volatility in future periods.

We may be unable to invest the net proceeds raised from offerings on acceptable terms, which would harm our financial condition and operating results.

Until we identify new investment opportunities, we intend to either invest the net proceeds of future offerings in cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less or use the net proceeds from such offerings to reduce then-outstanding obligations under our Credit Facilities or any future credit facility. We cannot assure you that we will be able to find enough appropriate investments that meet our investment selection criteria or that any investment we complete using the proceeds from an offering will produce a sufficient return.

The SBA also limits an SBIC’s choices to invest idle funds to the following types of securities:

You may have current tax liabilities on distributions you reinvest in our common stock.

Under the dividend reinvestment plan, if you own shares of our common stock registered in your own name, you will have all cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock unless you opt out of the dividend reinvestment plan by delivering a written notice to the plan administrator prior to the record date of the next dividend or distribution. If you have not “opted out” of the dividend reinvestment plan, you will be deemed to have received, and for federal income tax purposes will be taxed on, the amount reinvested in our common stock to the extent the amount reinvested was not a tax-free return of capital. As a result, you may have to use funds from other sources to pay your income tax liabilities on the value of the common stock received. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Distributions” for more information.

There is a risk that our common stockholders may receive our stock as distributions in which case they may be required to pay taxes in excess of the cash they receive.

We may distribute our common stock as a dividend of our taxable income and a stockholder could receive a portion of the dividends declared and distributed by us in shares of our common stock with the remaining amount in cash. A stockholder will be considered to have recognized dividend income generally equal to the fair market

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value of the stock paid by us plus cash received with respect to such dividend. The total dividend declared would be taxable income to a stockholder even though he or she may only receive a relatively small portion of the dividend in cash to pay any taxes due on the dividend. We have not elected to distribute stock as a dividend but reserve the right to do so.

We incur significant costs as a result of being a publicly traded company.

As a publicly traded company, we incur legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with the periodic reporting requirements applicable to a company whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Exchange Act, as well as additional corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and other rules implemented by the SEC and the listing standards of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.

Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and of our charter and bylaws could deter takeover attempts and have an adverse impact on the price of our common stock.

The Maryland General Corporation Law, our charter and our bylaws contain provisions that may discourage, delay or make more difficult a change in control of us or the removal of our directors. We are subject to the Maryland Business Combination Act, or the Business Combination Act, the application of which is subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act. Our board of directors has adopted a resolution exempting from the Business Combination Act any business combination between us and any other person, subject to prior approval of such business combination by our board, including approval by a majority of our disinterested directors. If the resolution exempting business combinations is repealed or our board does not approve a business combination, the Business Combination Act may discourage third parties from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such an offer.

In addition, our bylaws exempt from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act acquisitions of our common stock by any person. If we amend our bylaws to repeal the exemption from such act, it may make it more difficult for a third party to obtain control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating such an offer. Our bylaws require us to consult with the SEC staff before we repeal such exemption. Also, our charter provides for classifying our board of directors in three classes serving staggered three-year terms, and provisions of our charter authorize our board of directors to classify or reclassify shares of our stock in one or more classes or series, to cause the issuance of additional shares of our stock, and to amend our charter, without stockholder approval, to increase or decrease the number of shares of stock that we have authority to issue.

These anti-takeover provisions may inhibit a change of control in circumstances that could give our stockholders the opportunity to realize a premium over the market price for our common stock.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements, which relate to us and our consolidated subsidiaries regarding future events or our future performance or future financial condition. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our Company, our industry, our beliefs and our assumptions. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus involve risks and uncertainties, including statements as to:

We use words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “seeks,” “plans,” “estimates” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. You should not place undue influence on the forward looking statements as our actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements for any reason, including the factors set forth in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.

Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be inaccurate. Important assumptions include our ability to originate new loans and investments, certain margins and levels of profitability and the availability of additional capital. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a projection or forward-looking statement in this prospectus should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved.

We have based the forward-looking statements included in this prospectus on information available to us on the date of this prospectus, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Although we undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in this prospectus, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, you are advised to consult any additional

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disclosures that we may make directly to you or through a supplemental prospectus or through reports that we in the future may file with the SEC, including reports on Form 10-K/Q and current reports on Form 8-K.

You should understand that, under Section 27A(b)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act, the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 do not apply to forward-looking statements made in connection with any offering of securities pursuant to this prospectus or in periodic reports we file under the Exchange Act.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We may use the net proceeds from selling securities pursuant to this prospectus to reduce our then-outstanding obligations under our Credit Facility, and/or the SBA debentures, to invest in new or existing portfolio companies or for other general corporate or strategic purposes. Any supplements to this prospectus relating to an offering may more fully identify the use of the proceeds from such offering.

As of December 31, 2018, we had $270.9 million of unused borrowing capacity, subject to maintenance of the applicable total assets to debt ratio, as set forth in the 1940 Act, and $174.1 million in borrowings outstanding under our $445.0 million Credit Facility. Borrowings under our Credit Facility bear interest at an annual rate equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR or “L,” plus 225 basis points per annum. At December 31, 2018, the weighted average interest rate on the Credit Facility was 4.39%, exclusive of the fee on undrawn commitments of 0.375%. The Credit Facility is a revolving facility with a stated maturity date of May 25, 2022 and is secured by substantially all of the assets in our investment portfolio, excluding assets of our SBIC Funds. Amounts repaid under our Credit Facility remain available for future borrowings.

As of December 31, 2018, we had $250.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 2019 Notes outstanding. The 2019 Notes were prepaid at 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest through the payment date of March 4, 2019, as well as a make-whole premium. Interest on the 2019 Notes was paid semi-annually on April 1 and October 1, at a rate of 4.50% per year. The 2019 Notes had been scheduled to mature on October 1, 2019. The 2019 Notes were general, unsecured obligations and ranked equal in right of payment with all of our existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness. The 2019 Notes were structurally subordinated to our SBA debentures and the assets pledged or secured under our Credit Facility.

As of December 31, 2018, our SBIC Funds had $150.0 million in debt commitments, all of which were drawn. The interest rate of SBA debentures is fixed at the time of issuance, often referred to as pooling, at a market-driven spread over 10-year U.S. Treasury Notes. At December 31, 2018, the SBA debentures’ had a weighted average interest rate of 3.11%, exclusive of the 3.43% of upfront fees. The SBA debentures mature between March 2026 and March 2028. The SBA debentures are secured by all the investment portfolio assets of our SBIC Funds and have a priority claim over such assets relative to all other creditors.

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for more information.

We may invest the proceeds from an offering of securities in new or existing portfolio companies, and such investments may take up to a year from the closing of such offering, in part because privately negotiated investments in illiquid securities or private middle-market companies require substantial due diligence and structuring. During this period, we may use the net proceeds from our offering to reduce then-outstanding obligations under our Credit Facility and/or the SBA debentures or to invest such proceeds in cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. We expect to earn yields on such investments, if any, that are lower than the interest income that we anticipate receiving in respect of investments in non-temporary investments. As a result, any distributions we make during this investment period may be lower than the distributions that we would expect to pay when such proceeds are fully invested in non-temporary investments. See “Regulation—Temporary Investments” for more information.

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SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The following selected consolidated financial data of the Company as of and for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014, is derived from the consolidated financial statements that have been audited by RSM US LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Company’s consolidated financial statements for the three-month period ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, is derived from our unaudited financial statements. However, in the opinion of the Company, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation have been made. This financial data should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus and with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Financial Condition which follows.

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Selected Quarterly Data (Unaudited)

(dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The information contained in this section should be read in conjunction with the selected financial data and our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

Overview

PennantPark Investment Corporation is a BDC whose objectives are to generate both current income and capital appreciation while seeking to preserve capital through debt and equity investments primarily made to U.S. middle-market companies in the form of first lien secured debt, second lien secured debt and subordinated debt and equity investments.

We believe middle-market companies offer attractive risk-reward to investors due to a limited amount of capital available for such companies and the potential for rising interest rates. We seek to create a diversified portfolio that includes first lien secured debt, second lien secured debt, subordinated debt and equity investments by investing approximately $10 million to $50 million of capital, on average, in the securities of middle-market companies. We expect this investment size to vary proportionately with the size of our capital base. We use the term “middle-market” to refer to companies with annual revenues between $50 million and $1 billion. The companies in which we invest are typically highly leveraged, and, in most cases, are not rated by national rating agencies. If such companies were rated, we believe that they would typically receive a rating below investment grade (between BB and CCC under the S&P’s system) from the national rating agencies. Securities rated below investment grade are often referred to as “leveraged loans” or “high yield” securities or “junk bonds” and are often higher risk compared to debt instruments that are rated above investment grade and have speculative characteristics. Our debt investments may generally range in maturity from three to ten years and are made to U.S. and, to a limited extent, non-U.S. corporations, partnerships and other business entities which operate in various industries and geographical regions.

Our investment activity depends on many factors, including the amount of debt and equity capital available to middle-market companies, the level of merger and acquisition activity for such companies, the general economic environment and the competitive environment for the types of investments we make. We have used, and expect to continue to use our debt capital, proceeds from the rotation of our portfolio and proceeds from public and private offerings of securities to finance our investment objectives.

Organization and Structure of PennantPark Investment Corporation

PennantPark Investment Corporation, a Maryland corporation organized in January 2007, is a closed-end, externally managed, non-diversified investment company that has elected to be treated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. In addition, for federal income tax purposes we have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a RIC under the Code.

Our wholly owned subsidiaries, SBIC LP and SBIC II, were organized as Delaware limited partnerships in 2010 and 2012, respectively. SBIC LP and SBIC II received licenses from the SBA to operate as SBICs under Section 301(c) of the 1958 Act. As of December 31, 2018, SBIC LP and SBIC II held approximately $80.5 million and $226.6 million in assets, respectively, which accounted for 6.6% and 18.5% of our total assets. Our SBIC Funds’ objectives are to generate both current income and capital appreciation through debt and equity investments generally by investing with us in SBA-eligible businesses that meet the investment selection criteria used by PennantPark Investment.

Our investment activities are managed by the Investment Adviser. Under our Investment Management Agreement, we have agreed to pay our Investment Adviser an annual base management fee based on our average adjusted gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our investment performance. PennantPark Investment, through the Investment Adviser, provides similar services to our SBIC Funds under their investment management agreements. Our SBIC Funds’ investment management agreements do not affect the management

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and incentive fees on a consolidated basis. We have also entered into an Administration Agreement with the Administrator. Under our Administration Agreement, we have agreed to reimburse the Administrator for our allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its obligations under our Administration Agreement, including rent and our allocable portion of the costs of compensation and related expenses of our Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Financial Officer and their respective staffs. PennantPark Investment, through the Administrator, provides similar services to our SBIC Funds under their administration agreements with us. Our board of directors, a majority of whom are independent of us, supervises our activities, and the Investment Adviser supervises our day-to-day activities.

Revenues

We generate revenue in the form of interest income on the debt securities we hold and capital gains and distributions, if any, on investment securities that we may acquire in portfolio companies. Our debt investments, whether in the form of first lien secured debt, second lien secured debt or subordinated debt, typically have a term of three to ten years and bear interest at a fixed or a floating rate. Interest on debt securities is generally payable quarterly or semiannually. In some cases, our investments provide for deferred interest payments and PIK interest. The principal amount of the debt securities and any accrued but unpaid interest generally becomes due at the maturity date. In addition, we may generate revenue in the form of amendment, commitment, origination, structuring or diligence fees, fees for providing significant managerial assistance and possibly consulting fees. Loan origination fees, OID and market discount or premium and deferred financing costs on liabilities, which we do not fair value, are capitalized and accreted or amortized using the effective interest method as interest income or, in the case of deferred financing costs, as interest expense. Dividend income, if any, is recognized on an accrual basis on the ex-dividend date to the extent that we expect to collect such amounts. From time to time, the Company receives certain fees from portfolio companies, which are non-recurring in nature. Such fees include loan prepayment penalties, structuring fees and amendment fees, and are recorded as other investment income when earned. Litigation settlements are accounted for in accordance with the gain contingency provisions of ASC Subtopic 450-30, Gain Contingencies.

Expenses

Our primary operating expenses include the payment of a management fee and the payment of an incentive fee to our Investment Adviser, if any, our allocable portion of overhead under our Administration Agreement and other operating costs as detailed below. Our management fee compensates our Investment Adviser for its work in identifying, evaluating, negotiating, consummating and monitoring our investments. Additionally, we pay interest expense on the outstanding debt and unused commitment fees on undrawn amounts under our various debt facilities. We bear all other direct or indirect costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, including:

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Generally, during periods of asset growth, we expect our general and administrative expenses to be relatively stable or to decline as a percentage of total assets and increase during periods of asset declines. Incentive fees, interest expense and costs relating to future offerings of securities would be additive to the expenses described above.

The SEC requires that estimated “Total Annual Expenses” be calculated as a percentage of net assets in the chart on page 7 of this prospectus rather than as a percentage of total assets. Total assets include assets that have been funded with borrowed money (leverage). For reference, the chart below illustrates our “Total Estimated Annual Expenses” as a percentage of average total assets:

Estimated Annual Expenses (as a Percentage of Average Total Assets)⁽¹⁾

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PORTFOLIO AND INVESTMENT ACTIVITY

As of December 31, 2018, our portfolio totaled $1,191.5 million and consisted of $577.4 million of first lien secured debt, $403.2 million of second lien secured debt, $48.1 million of subordinated debt and $162.8 million of preferred and common equity. Our debt portfolio consisted of 90% variable-rate investments and 10% fixed-rate investments. As of December 31, 2018, we had no companies on non-accrual. Overall, the portfolio had net unrealized depreciation of $132.2 million as of December 31, 2018. Our overall portfolio consisted of 56 companies with an average investment size of $21.3 million, had a weighted average yield on interest bearing debt investments of 10.9% and was invested 48% in first lien secured debt, 34% in second lien secured debt, 4% in subordinated debt and 14% in preferred and common equity.

As of September 30, 2018, our portfolio totaled $1,132.1 million and consisted of $531.4 million of first lien secured debt, $391.1 million of second lien secured debt, $48.1 million of subordinated debt and $161.5 million of preferred and common equity. Our debt portfolio consisted of 90% variable-rate investments and 10% fixed-rate investments. As of September 30, 2018, we had no portfolio companies on non-accrual. Overall, the portfolio had net unrealized depreciation of $111.8 million as of September 30, 2018. Our overall portfolio consisted of 53 companies with an average investment size of $21.4 million, had a weighted average yield on interest bearing debt investments of 11.2% and was invested 47% in first lien secured debt, 35% in second lien secured debt, 4% in subordinated debt and 14% in preferred and common equity.

As of December 31, 2017, our portfolio totaled $1,100.6 million and consisted of $444.9 million of first lien secured debt, $375.6 million of second lien secured debt, $107.2 million of subordinated debt and $172.9 million

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of preferred and common equity. Our debt portfolio consisted of 82% variable-rate investments (including 12% where LIBOR was below the floor) and 18% fixed-rate investments. As of December 31, 2017, we had no companies on non-accrual. Overall, the portfolio had net unrealized depreciation of $63.2 million as of December 31, 2017. Our overall portfolio consisted of 57 companies with an average investment size of $19.3 million, had a weighted average yield on interest bearing debt investments of 11.8% and was invested 40% in first lien secured debt, 34% in second lien secured debt, 10% in subordinated debt and 16% in preferred and common equity.

As of September 30, 2017, our portfolio totaled $1,153.6 million and consisted of $466.1 million of first lien secured debt, $399.5 million of second lien secured debt, $120.7 million of subordinated debt and $167.3 million of preferred and common equity. Our debt portfolio consisted of 82% variable-rate investments (including 13% where LIBOR was below the floor) and 18% fixed-rate investments. As of September 30, 2017, we had no portfolio companies on non-accrual. Overall, the portfolio had net unrealized depreciation of $56.4 million as of September 30, 2017. Our overall portfolio consisted of 55 companies with an average investment size of $21.0 million, had a weighted average yield on interest bearing debt investments of 11.5% and was invested 40% in first lien secured debt, 35% in second lien secured debt, 10% in subordinated debt and 15% in preferred and common equity.

For the three months ended December 31, 2018, we invested $194.5 million in six new and 13 existing portfolio companies with a weighted average yield on debt investments of 9.5%. Sales and repayments of investments for the three months ended December 31, 2018 totaled $125.8 million.

For the three months ended December 31, 2017, we invested $138.4 million in five new and seven existing portfolio companies with a weighted average yield on debt investments of 10.8%. Sales and repayments of investments for the three months ended December 31, 2017 totaled $192.3 million.

For the year ended September 30, 2018, we invested $604.7 million of investments in 17 new and 33 existing portfolio companies with a weighted average yield on debt investments of 10.2%. Sales and repayments of investments for the year ended September 30, 2018 totaled $630.5 million.

For the year ended September 30, 2017, we invested $508.3 million of investments in 18 new and 24 existing portfolio companies with a weighted average yield on debt investments of 10.5%. Sales and repayments of investments for the year ended September 30, 2018 totaled $544.0 million.

For the year ended September 30, 2016, we invested $330.6 million of investments in four new and 25 existing portfolio companies with a weighted average yield on debt investments of 11.9%. Sales and repayments of investments for the year ended September 30, 2017 totaled $439.7 million.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of our assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reported periods. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, considered necessary for the fair presentation of financial statements have been included. Actual results could differ from these estimates due to changes in the economic and regulatory environment, financial markets and any other parameters used in determining such estimates and assumptions. We may reclassify certain prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation. We have eliminated all intercompany balances and transactions. References to ASC serve as a single source of accounting literature. Subsequent events are evaluated and disclosed as appropriate for events occurring through the date the Consolidated Financial Statements are issued. In addition to the discussion below, we describe our critical accounting policies in the notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Investment Valuations

We expect that there may not be readily available market values for many of the investments which are or will be in our portfolio, and we value such investments at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of our board of directors using a documented valuation policy and a consistently applied valuation process, as described in this prospectus. With respect to investments for which there is no readily available market value, the factors that the board of directors may take into account in pricing our investments at fair value include, as relevant, the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments and its earnings and discounted cash flow, the markets in which the portfolio company does business, comparison to publicly traded securities and other relevant factors. When an external event such as a purchase transaction, public offering or subsequent equity sale occurs, we consider the pricing indicated by the external event to corroborate or revise our valuation. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the price used in an actual transaction may be different than our valuation and the difference may be material.

Our portfolio generally consists of illiquid securities, including debt and equity investments. With respect to investments for which market quotations are not readily available, or for which market quotations are deemed not reflective of the fair value, our board of directors undertakes a multi-step valuation process each quarter, as described below:

Our board of directors generally uses market quotations to assess the value of our investments for which market quotations are readily available. We obtain these market values from independent pricing services or at bid prices obtained from at least two brokers or dealers, if available, or otherwise from a principal market maker or a primary market dealer. The Investment Adviser assesses the source and reliability of bids from brokers or dealers. If the board of directors has a bona fide reason to believe any such market quote does not reflect the fair value of an investment, it may independently value such investments by using the valuation procedure that it uses with respect to assets for which market quotations are not readily available.

Fair value, as defined under ASC 820, is the price that we would receive upon selling an investment or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction to a market participant in the principal or most advantageous market for the investment or liability. ASC 820 emphasizes that valuation techniques maximize the use of observable market inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may

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be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of us. Unobservable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability based on the best information available to us on the reporting period date.

ASC 820 classifies the inputs used to measure these fair values into the following hierarchies:

A financial instrument’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Generally, most of our investments and our Credit Facility are classified as Level 3. Our 2019 Notes are classified as Level 2. Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the price used in an actual transaction may be different than our valuation and those differences may be material.

In addition to using the above inputs in cash equivalents, investments, our 2019 Notes and our Credit Facility valuations, we employ the valuation policy approved by our board of directors that is consistent with ASC 820. Consistent with our valuation policy, we evaluate the source of inputs, including any markets in which our investments are trading, in determining fair value.

The carrying value of our consolidated financial liabilities approximates fair value. We adopted ASC 825-10, which provides companies with an option to report selected financial assets and liabilities at fair value, and made an irrevocable election to apply ASC 825-10 to our Credit Facility, the 2019 Notes and, prior to their redemption, the 2025 Notes. We elected to use the fair value option for the Credit Facility, the 2019 Notes and, prior to their redemption, the 2025 Notes to align the measurement attributes of both our assets and liabilities while mitigating volatility in earnings from using different measurement attributes. Due to that election and in accordance with GAAP, we incurred $0 relating to amendment costs on the Credit Facility costs during each of the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 and $0, $3.9 million and $0 relating to amendment costs on the Credit Facility during the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. ASC 825-10 establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to facilitate comparisons between companies that choose different measurement attributes for similar types of assets and liabilities and to more easily understand the effect on earnings of a company’s choice to use fair value. ASC 825-10 also requires entities to display the fair value of the selected assets and liabilities on the face of the Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities and changes in fair value of the Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes are reported in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We elected not to apply ASC 825-10 to any other financial assets or liabilities, including the SBA debentures. For the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, our Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes had a net change in unrealized depreciation of $6.1 million and $1.1 million, respectively. For the year ended September 30, 2018, the Credit Facility and 2019 Notes had a net change in unrealized depreciation of $3.9 million. For the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, our Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes and 2025 Notes had a net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation of $(7.6) million and $3.7 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017, net unrealized depreciation (appreciation) on our Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes totaled $7.6 million, $1.6 million and $(2.3) million, respectively. We use a nationally recognized independent valuation service to fair value our Credit Facility and our 2019 Notes in a manner consistent with the valuation process that the board of directors uses to value investments.

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Revenue Recognition

We record interest income on an accrual basis to the extent that we expect to collect such amounts. For loans and debt investments with contractual PIK interest, which represents interest accrued and added to the loan balance that generally becomes due at maturity, we will generally not accrue PIK interest when the portfolio company valuation indicates that such PIK interest is not collectable. We do not accrue as a receivable interest on loans and debt investments if we have reason to doubt our ability to collect such interest. Loan origination fees, OID, market discount or premium and deferred financing costs on liabilities, which we do not fair value, are capitalized and then accreted or amortized using the effective interest method as interest income or, in the case of deferred financing costs, as interest expense. We record prepayment penalties on loans and debt investments as income. Dividend income, if any, is recognized on an accrual basis on the ex-dividend date to the extent that we expect to collect such amounts. From time to time, the Company receives certain fees from portfolio companies, which are non-recurring in nature. Such fees include loan prepayment penalties, structuring fees and amendment fees, and are recorded as other investment income when earned.

Net Realized Gains or Losses and Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation or Depreciation

We measure realized gains or losses by the difference between the net proceeds from the repayment or sale and the amortized cost basis of the investment, using the specific identification method, without regard to unrealized appreciation or depreciation previously recognized, but considering unamortized upfront fees and prepayment penalties. Net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation reflects the change in fair values of our portfolio investments, our Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes and, prior to their redemption, the 2025 Notes during the reporting period, including any reversal of previously recorded unrealized appreciation or depreciation, when gains or losses are realized.

Foreign Currency Translation

Our books and records are maintained in U.S. dollars. Any foreign currency amounts are translated into U.S. dollars on the following basis:

1. Fair value of investment securities, other assets and liabilities – at the exchange rates prevailing at the end of the applicable period; and

2. Purchases and sales of investment securities, income and expenses – at the exchange rates prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions.

Although net assets and fair values are presented based on the applicable foreign exchange rates described above, we do not isolate that portion of the results of operations due to changes in foreign exchange rates on investments, other assets and debt from the fluctuations arising from changes in fair values of investments and liabilities held. Such fluctuations are included with the net realized and unrealized gain or loss from investments and liabilities.

Payment-in-Kind Interest

We have investments in our portfolio which contain a PIK interest provision. PIK interest is added to the principal balance of the investment and is recorded as income. In order for us to maintain our ability to be subject to tax as a RIC, substantially all of this income must be paid out to stockholders in the form of dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes, even though we may not have collected any cash with respect to interest on PIK securities.

Federal Income Taxes

We have elected to be treated, and intend to qualify annually to maintain our election to be treated, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. To maintain our RIC tax election, we must, among other requirements, meet

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certain annual source-of-income and quarterly asset diversification requirements. We also must annually distribute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to our stockholders out of assets legally available for distribution of an amount generally at least equal to 90% of the sum of our net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, or investment company taxable income, determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid.

Although not required for us to maintain our RIC tax status, in order to preclude the imposition of a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax imposed on RICs, we must distribute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to our stockholders in respect of each calendar year an amount at least equal to the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement. In addition, although we may distribute realized net capital gains (i.e., net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses), if any, at least annually, out of the assets legally available for such distributions in the manner described above, we have retained and may continue to retain such net capital gains or investment company taxable income, subject to maintaining our ability to be taxed as a RIC, in order to provide us with additional liquidity.

Because federal income tax regulations differ from GAAP, distributions in accordance with tax regulations may differ from net investment income and net realized gain recognized for financial reporting purposes. Differences between tax regulations and GAAP may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the Consolidated Financial Statements to reflect their appropriate tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain or loss are recognized at some time in the future.

We have formed and expect to continue to form certain taxable subsidiaries, including the Taxable Subsidiaries, which are taxed as corporations. These taxable subsidiaries allow us to hold equity securities of certain portfolio companies treated as pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes while facilitating our ability to qualify as a RIC under the Code.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Set forth below are the results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017.

Investment Income

Investment income for the three months ended December 31, 2018 was $27.4 million and was attributable to $13.2 million from first lien secured debt, $12.4 million from second lien secured debt and $1.8 million from subordinated debt, respectively. Investment income for the three months ended December 31, 2017 was $28.7 million and was attributable to $12.7 million from first lien secured debt, $12.9 million from second lien secured debt and $3.1 million from subordinated debt, respectively. The decrease in investment income compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to a decrease in other income.

Expenses

Expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2018 totaled $14.8 million. Base management fee for the same period totaled $4.4 million, incentive fee totaled $2.7 million, debt related interest and expenses totaled $6.3 million, general and administrative expenses totaled $1.1 million and provision for taxes totaled $0.3 million. Net expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2017 totaled $14.5 million. Base management fee for the same period totaled $4.8 million (after a base management fee waiver of $0.9 million), incentive fee totaled $2.7 million (after an incentive fee waiver of $0.5 million), debt related interest and expenses totaled $5.9 million and general and administrative expenses totaled $1.1 million. The increase in expenses compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to an increase in leverage, which resulted in an increased interest expense.

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Net Investment Income

Net investment income totaled $12.6 million, or $0.18 per share, for the three months ended December 31, 2018, and $14.2 million, or $0.20 per share, for the three months ended December 31, 2017. The decrease in net investment income compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to a decrease in other income and an increase leverage, which resulted in an increased interest expense.

Net Realized Gains or Losses

Sales and repayments of investments for the three months ended December 31, 2018 totaled $125.8 million and net realized gains totaled $8.5 million. Sales and repayments of investments for the three months ended December 31, 2017 totaled $192.3 million and net realized gains totaled $3.8 million. The change in realized gains/losses was primarily due to changes in the market conditions of our investments and the values at which they were realized.

Unrealized Appreciation or Depreciation on Investments, the Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes

For the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we reported net change in unrealized depreciation on investments of $20.4 million and $6.8 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, our net unrealized depreciation on investments totaled $132.2 million and $111.8 million, respectively. The net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on our investments compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to changes in the capital market conditions, the financial performance of certain portfolio companies and the reversal of unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments that were realized.

For the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, our Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes had a net change in unrealized depreciation of $6.1 million and $1.1 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, the net unrealized depreciation on the Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes totaled $7.6 million and $1.6 million, respectively. The net change in net unrealized depreciation compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to changes in the capital markets.

Net Change in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

Net change in net assets resulting from operations totaled $6.8 million, or $0.10 per share, for the three months ended December 31, 2018. This compares to a net change in net assets resulting from operations of $12.3 million, or $0.18 per share, for the three months ended December 31, 2017. The decrease in the net change in net assets from operations compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to a lower yielding portfolio and depreciation of our investments.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Set forth below are our results of operations for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

Investment Income

Investment income for the year ended September 30, 2018 was $108.3 million and was attributable to $49.5 million from first lien secured debt, $49.8 million from second lien secured debt and $9.0 million from subordinated debt and preferred and common equity. The decrease in investment income over the prior year was primarily due to a reduction of our portfolio at cost.

Investment income for the year ended September 30, 2017 was $124.5 million and was attributable to $54.4 million from first lien secured debt, $50.4 million from second lien secured debt, $19.7 million from subordinated debt and preferred and common equity. The decrease in investment income over the prior year was primarily due to a reduction of our portfolio at cost.

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Investment income for the year ended September 30, 2016 was $142.1 million and was attributable to $59.9 million from first lien secured debt, $60.5 million from second lien secured debt, $21.7 million from subordinated debt and preferred and common equity.

Expenses

Net expenses for the year ended September 30, 2018 totaled $54.9 million. Base management fee for the same period totaled $16.5 million (after a base management fee waiver of $0.9 million), incentive fee totaled $11.0 million (after an incentive fee waiver of $0.5 million), debt related interest and expenses totaled $22.8 million and general and administrative expenses totaled $4.6 million. The decrease in expenses over the prior year was primarily due to a decrease in debt related expenses and base management fees.

Net expenses for the year ended September 30, 2017 totaled $68.1 million. Base management fee for the same period totaled $20.3 million (after a base management fee waiver of $3.9 million), incentive fee totaled $9.3 million (after an incentive fee waiver of $1.8 million), debt related interest and expenses totaled $30.5 million (including $3.9 million in amendment costs on the Credit Facility), general and administrative expenses totaled $6.3 million and provision for taxes totaled $1.7 million. The decrease in expenses over the prior year was primarily due to lower incentive fees and general and administrative expenses.

Net expenses for the year ended September 30, 2016 totaled $71.5 million. Base management fee for the same period totaled $20.9 million (after a base management fee waiver of $4.0 million), incentive fee totaled $13.5 million (after an incentive fee waiver of $2.5 million), debt related interest and expenses totaled $27.6 million, general and administrative expenses totaled $7.1 million and provision for taxes totaled $2.4 million.

Net Investment Income

Net investment income totaled $53.3 million or $0.75 per share, $56.4 million or $0.79 per share and $70.6 million or $0.99 per share for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The decrease in net investment income per share compared to the prior year was primarily due to a lower yielding portfolio partially offset by a decrease in debt related expenses and base management fees.

Net Realized Gains or Losses

Sales and repayments of investments for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016 totaled $630.5 million, $544.0 million and $439.7 million, respectively, and net realized gains (losses) totaled $45.9 million, $(31.0) million and $(80.5) million, respectively. The change in realized gains/losses was primarily due to changes in the market conditions of our investments and the values at which they were realized.

Unrealized Appreciation or Depreciation on Investments, Credit Facility, the 2019 Notes and the 2025 Notes

For the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, we reported net change in unrealized (depreciation) appreciation on investments of $(55.3) million, $43.9 million and $24.9 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2018 and 2017, our net unrealized depreciation on investments totaled $111.8 million and $56.4 million, respectively. The net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on our investments for the year ended September 30, 2018 compared to the prior year was primarily due to changes in the capital market conditions, the financial performance of certain portfolio companies and the reversal of unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments that were realized.

For the year ended September 30, 2018, our Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes had a net change in unrealized depreciation of $3.9 million. For the years ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, our Credit Facility, 2019 Notes and 2025 Notes had a net change in unrealized (appreciation) depreciation of $(7.6) million and

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$3.7 million. As of September 30, 2018 and 2017, our net unrealized depreciation (appreciation) on our Credit Facility and the 2019 Notes totaled $1.6 million and $(2.3) million, respectively. The net change in unrealized depreciation for the year ended September 30, 2018 compared to the prior year was primarily due to changes in the capital markets.

Net Change in Net Assets Resulting From Operations

Net change in net assets resulting from operations totaled $47.7 million or $0.68 per share, $61.7 million or $0.87 per share and $18.7 million or $0.26 per share for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The decrease in the net change in net assets from operations for year ended September 30, 2018 compared to the prior year was primarily due to a lower yielding portfolio and depreciation of our investments.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Our liquidity and capital resources are derived primarily from proceeds of securities offerings, debt capital and cash flows from operations, including investment sales and repayments, and income earned. Our primary use of funds from operations includes investments in portfolio companies and payments of fees and other operating expenses we incur. We have used, and expect to continue to use, our debt capital, proceeds from the rotation of our portfolio and proceeds from public and private offerings of securities to finance our investment objectives. As of December 31, 2018, in accordance with the 1940 Act, with certain limited exceptions, we are only allowed to borrow amounts such that we are in compliance with a 200% asset coverage ratio requirement after such borrowing, excluding SBA debentures pursuant to exemptive relief from the SEC received in June 2011.

On February 5, 2019, our stockholders approved the application of the modified asset coverage requirements set forth in Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act, as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (which includes the SBCAA) as approved by our board of directors on November 13, 2018. As a result, the asset coverage requirements applicable to us for senior securities have been reduced from 200% (i.e., $1 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) to 150% (i.e., $2 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity), subject to compliance with certain disclosure requirements. As of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, our asset coverage ratio, as computed in accordance with the 1940 Act, was 248% and 291%, respectively.

The annualized weighted average cost of debt for the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, inclusive of the fee on the undrawn commitment and amendment costs on the Credit Facility, amortized upfront fees on SBA debentures and debt issuance costs, was 4.71% and 4.32%, respectively.

The annualized weighted average cost of debt for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, inclusive of the fee on the undrawn commitment and amendment costs on the Credit Facility, amortized upfront fees on SBA debentures and debt issuance costs, was 4.52%, 5.04% and 4.35%, respectively.

As of December 31, 2018, we had a $445 million multi-currency Credit Facility with certain lenders and SunTrust Bank, acting as administrative agent, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., acting as syndication agent for the lenders. As of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017, we had $174.1 million, $80.5 million (including a $2.0 million temporary draw) and $79.4 million, respectively, in outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility had a weighted average interest rate of 4.39%, 3.79% and 2.42%, respectively, exclusive of the fee on undrawn commitments of 0.375%, as of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017. The Credit Facility is a five-year revolving facility with a stated maturity date of May 25, 2022, a one-year term-out period following its fourth year and pricing set at 225 basis points over LIBOR. As of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017, we had $270.9 million, $364.5 million and $365.6 million of unused borrowing capacity under our Credit Facility, respectively, subject to the regulatory restrictions. The Credit Facility is secured by substantially all of our assets excluding assets held by our SBIC Funds. For a complete list of covenants contained in the Credit Facility, please refer to the Credit Facility agreement filed as Exhibit 10.1 on our Form 10-Q filed August 7, 2017 and incorporated by reference therein.

As of December 31, 2018, we were in compliance with the terms of our Credit Facility.

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In September 2014, we issued $250.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 2019 Notes, for net proceeds of $245.5 million after underwriting discounts and offering costs. Interest on the 2019 Notes is paid semi-annually on April 1 and October 1, at a rate of 4.50% per year. The 2019 Notes mature on October 1, 2019. The 2019 Notes are general, unsecured obligations and rank equal in right of payment with all of our existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness. The 2019 Notes are structurally subordinated to our SBA debentures and the assets pledged or secured under our Credit Facility. The 2019 Notes may be repurchased from time to time in open market purchases and privately-negotiated transactions.

In January 2013, we issued $71.3 million in aggregate principal amount of 2025 Notes. Interest on the 2025 Notes was paid quarterly on February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1, at a rate of 6.25% per year. On June 29, 2017, the 2025 Notes were redeemed in full and no amounts were outstanding as of September 30, 2018. The 2025 Notes had been scheduled to mature on February 1, 2025. The 2025 Notes were general, unsecured obligations and ranked equal in right of payment with all of our senior unsecured indebtedness. The 2025 Notes were structurally subordinated to our SBA debentures and the assets pledged or secured under our Credit Facility. Please see our Base Indenture and the supplemental indenture filed as Exhibit (d)(9) in our post-effective amendment filed on January 22, 2013 for more information.

We may raise additional equity or debt capital through both registered offerings off our shelf registration statement and private offerings of securities, by securitizing a portion of our investments or borrowing from the SBA, among other sources. Any future additional debt capital we incur, to the extent it is available, may be issued at a higher cost and on less favorable terms and conditions than our current Credit Facility, SBA debentures or our 2019 Notes. Furthermore, our Credit Facility availability depends on various covenants and restrictions. The primary use of existing funds and any funds raised in the future is expected to be for repayment of indebtedness, investments in portfolio companies, cash distributions to our stockholders or for other general corporate or strategic purposes such as our stock repurchase program.

On May 9, 2018, we announced a share repurchase program which allows us to repurchase up to $30 million of our outstanding common stock in the open market at prices below our NAV as reported in our then most recently published consolidated financial statements. The shares may be purchased from time to time at prevailing market prices, through open market transactions, including block transactions. Unless extended by our board of directors, the program, which may be implemented at the discretion of management, will expire on the earlier of May 9, 2019 and the repurchase of $30 million of common stock. For the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we repurchased 1.0 million and zero shares of common stock in open market transactions for an aggregate cost (including transaction costs) of $7.5 million and zero, respectively. For the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, we repurchased 2.0 million, zero and 1.9 million shares of common stock in open market transactions for an aggregate cost (including transaction costs) of $15.0 million, zero and $12.2 million, respectively.

Our SBIC Funds are able to borrow funds from the SBA against regulatory capital (which approximates equity capital) that is paid-in and is subject to customary regulatory requirements including an examination by the SBA. We have funded SBIC LP with $75.0 million of equity capital and it had zero SBA debentures outstanding as of December 31, 2018. We have funded SBIC II with $75.0 million of equity capital and it had SBA debentures outstanding of $150.0 million as of December 31, 2018. SBA debentures are non-recourse to us and may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The interest rate of SBA debentures is fixed at the time of issuance, often referred to as pooling, at a market-driven spread over 10-year U.S. Treasury Notes. Under current SBA regulations, a SBIC may individually borrow to a maximum of $175.0 million, which is up to twice its potential regulatory capital, and as part of a group of SBICs under common control may borrow a maximum of $350.0 million in the aggregate.

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As of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017, our SBIC Funds had $150.0 million, $300.0 million and $300.0 million in debt commitments, respectively, of which $150.0 million, $180.0 million and $199.0 million was drawn, respectively. As of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017, the unamortized fees on the SBA debentures were $4.2 million, $4.6 million and $4.6 million, respectively. The SBA debentures’ upfront fees of 3.43% consist of a commitment fee of 1.00% and an issuance discount of 2.43%, which are being amortized.

Our fixed-rate SBA debentures as of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018 were as follows:

The SBIC program is designed to stimulate the flow of capital into eligible businesses. Under SBA regulations, our SBIC Funds are subject to regulatory requirements, including making investments in SBA eligible businesses, investing at least 25% of regulatory capital in eligible smaller businesses, as defined under the 1958 Act, placing certain limitations on the financing terms of investments, prohibiting investment in certain industries and requiring capitalization thresholds that limit distributions to us, and are subject to periodic audits and examinations of their financial statements that are prepared on a basis of accounting other than GAAP (for example, fair value, as defined under ASC 820, is not required to be used for assets or liabilities for such compliance reporting). As of December 31, 2018, our SBIC Funds were in compliance with their regulatory requirements.

In accordance with the 1940 Act, with certain limited exceptions, PennantPark Investment is only allowed to borrow amounts such that our required 150% asset coverage ratio is met after such borrowing. As of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017, we excluded the principal amounts of our SBA debentures from our asset coverage ratio pursuant to SEC exemptive relief. In 2011, we received exemptive relief from the SEC allowing us to modify the asset coverage ratio requirement to exclude the SBA debentures from the calculation. Accordingly, our ratio of total assets on a consolidated basis to outstanding indebtedness may be less than 150% which, while providing increased investment flexibility, also increases our exposure to risks associated with leverage.

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As of December 31, 2018, September 30, 2018 and 2017, we had cash and cash equivalents of $24.7 million, $19.5 million and $38.2 million, respectively, available for investing and general corporate purposes. We believe our liquidity and capital resources are sufficient to take advantage of market opportunities.

Our operating activities used cash of $38.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2018, and our financing activities provided cash of $43.7 million for the same period. Our operating activities used cash primarily for our investment activities and our financing activities provided cash primarily from net borrowings under the Credit Facility.

Our operating activities provided cash of $62.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2017, and our financing activities used cash of $27.8 million for the same period. Our operating activities provided cash from sales and repayments on our investments and our financing activities used cash primarily to pay distributions to stockholders and repay the SBA debentures.

Our operating activities provided cash of $66.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2018, and our financing activities used cash of $85.6 million for the same period. Our operating activities provided cash from sales and repayments on our investments and our financing activities used cash primarily for net repayments of the SBA debentures and our stock repurchase program.

Our operating activities provided cash of $69.2 million for the year ended September 30, 2017, and our financing activities used cash proceeds of $107.6 million for the same period. Our operating activities provided cash primarily from sales and repayments on our investments and our financing activities used cash primarily to redeem our 2025 Notes.

Our operating activities provided cash of $157.7 million for the year ended September 30, 2016, and our financing activities used cash proceeds of $132.7 million for the same period. Our operating activities provided cash primarily from sales and repayments on our investments and our financing activities used cash primarily for net repayments on our Credit Facility and our stock repurchase program.

Contractual Obligations

A summary of our significant contractual payment obligations at cost as of December 31, 2018, including borrowings under our various debt facilities and other contractual obligations, is as follows:

We have entered into certain contracts under which we have material future commitments. Under our Investment Management Agreement, which was most recently reapproved by our board of directors, including a

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majority of our directors who are not interested persons of us or the Investment Adviser, in February 2019, PennantPark Investment Advisers serves as our investment adviser. PennantPark Investment, through the Investment Adviser, provides similar services to our SBIC Funds under their investment management agreements with us. Our SBIC Funds’ investment management agreements do not affect the management or incentive fees that we pay to the Investment Adviser on a consolidated basis. Payments under our Investment Management Agreement in each reporting period are equal to (1) a management fee equal to a percentage of the value of our average adjusted gross assets and (2) an incentive fee based on our performance.

Under our Administration Agreement, which was most recently reapproved by our board of directors, including a majority of our directors who are not interested persons of us, in February 2019, the Administrator furnishes us with office facilities and administrative services necessary to conduct our day-to-day operations. PennantPark Investment, through the Administrator, provides similar services to our SBIC Funds under their administration agreements, which are intended to have no effect on the consolidated administration fee. If requested to provide significant managerial assistance to our portfolio companies, we or the Administrator will be paid an additional amount based on the services provided. Payment under our Administration Agreement is based upon our allocable portion of the Administrator’s overhead in performing its obligations under our Administration Agreement, including rent and our allocable portion of the costs of our Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Financial Officer and their respective staffs.

If any of our contractual obligations discussed above are terminated, our costs under new agreements that we enter into may increase. In addition, we will likely incur significant time and expense in locating alternative parties to provide the services we expect to receive under our Investment Management Agreement and our Administration Agreement. Any new investment management agreement would also be subject to approval by our stockholders.

Recent Developments

On February 5, 2019, our stockholders approved the adoption of the modified asset coverage requirements set forth in Section 61(a)(2) of the 1940 Act, as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (which includes the SBCAA) as approved by our board of directors on November 13, 2018. As a result, the minimum asset coverage requirements applicable to us for senior securities has been reduced from 200% (i.e., $1 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity) to 150% (i.e., $2 of debt outstanding for each $1 of equity), subject to compliance with certain disclosure requirements. In connection with this reduction, our annual base management fee has also been reduced from 1.50% to 1.00% on gross assets that exceed 200% of the Company’s total net assets as of the immediately preceding quarter-end.

On January 31, 2019, the Company announced the redemption of $250.0 million outstanding aggregate principal amount of its 2019 Notes due October 1, 2019. The 2019 Notes were prepaid at 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest through the payment date of March 4, 2019, as well as a make-whole premium.

On February 22, 2019, Borrower, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into the BNP Credit Facility. In connection with the BNP Credit Facility, the Borrower entered into, among other agreements, (i) the BNP Credit Agreement, (ii) the Control Agreement, (iii) the Custodian Agreement, and (iv) the Purchase and Sale Agreement.

The BNP Credit Agreement provides for borrowings in an aggregate amount up to $250,000,000. Borrowings under the BNP Credit Agreement will bear interest based on an annual adjusted London interbank offered rate for the relevant interest period, plus an applicable spread. Interest is payable quarterly in arrears. Any amounts borrowed under the BNP Credit Agreement will mature, and all accrued and unpaid interest thereunder will be due and payable, on the earlier of (i) February 22, 2024 or (ii) upon certain other events which result in accelerated maturity under the BNP Credit Facility. Borrowing under the BNP Credit Facility is subject to certain restrictions contained in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Borrowings under the BNP Credit Agreement are secured by all of the assets held by the Borrower.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We currently engage in no off-balance sheet arrangements other than our funding requirements for the unfunded investments described above.

Distributions

In order to be treated as a RIC for federal income tax purposes and to not be subject to corporate-level tax on undistributed income or gains, we are required, under Subchapter M of the Code, to annually distribute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to our stockholders out of the assets legally available for distribution of an amount generally at least equal to 90% of our investment company taxable income, determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid.

Although not required for us to maintain our RIC tax status, in order to preclude the imposition of a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax imposed on RICs, we must distribute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to our stockholders in respect of each calendar year an amount at least equal to the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement. In addition, although we may distribute realized net capital gains (i.e., net long-term capital gains in excess of short-term capital losses), if any, at least annually, out of the assets legally available for such distributions, in the manner described above, we have retained and may continue to retain such net capital gains or investment company taxable income, contingent on our ability to be subject to tax as a RIC, in order to provide us with additional liquidity.

During both the three months ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we declared distributions of $0.18 per share, for total distributions of $12.2 million and $12.8 million, respectively. During the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, we declared distributions of $0.72 per share, $0.82 per share and $1.12 per share, respectively, for total distributions of $50.6 million, $58.3 million and $79.8 million, respectively. We monitor available net investment income to determine if a return of capital for tax purposes may occur for the fiscal year. To the extent our taxable earnings fall below the total amount of our distributions for any given fiscal year, common stockholders will be notified of the portion of those distributions deemed to be a tax return of capital. Tax characteristics of all distributions will be reported to stockholders subject to information reporting on Form 1099-DIV after the end of the calendar year and in our periodic reports filed with the SEC.

We intend to continue to make quarterly distributions to our stockholders. Our quarterly distributions, if any, are determined by our board of directors.

We maintain an “opt out” dividend reinvestment plan for our common stockholders. As a result, if we declare a distribution, then stockholders’ cash distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, unless stockholders specifically “opt out” of the dividend reinvestment plan so as to receive cash distributions.

We may not be able to achieve operating results that will allow us to make distributions at a specific level or to increase the amount of these distributions from time to time. In addition, we may be limited in our ability to make distributions due to the asset coverage ratio for borrowings applicable to us as a BDC under the 1940 Act and/or due to provisions in future credit facilities. If we do not distribute a certain percentage of our income annually, we could suffer adverse tax consequences, including possible loss of our ability to be subject to tax as a RIC. We cannot assure stockholders that they will receive any distributions at a particular level.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which changes the fair value measurement disclosure requirements of ASC 820. The key provisions include new, eliminated and modified disclosure requirements. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019,

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including interim periods therein. Early application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated financial statements, but the impact of the adoption is not expected to be material.

In August 2018, the SEC issued the Final Rule Release No. 33-10532, Disclosure Update and Simplification, amending certain disclosure requirements that were redundant, duplicative, overlapping, outdated or superseded. The amendments are intended to facilitate the disclosure of information to investors and simplify compliance. The final rule was effective on November 5, 2018. We do not anticipate the impact of this final rule to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Quantitative And Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

We are subject to financial market risks, including changes in interest rates. As of December 31, 2018, our debt portfolio consisted of 90% variable-rate investments and 10% fixed-rate investments. The variable-rate loans are usually based on a LIBOR rate and typically have durations of three months after which they reset to current market interest rates. Variable-rate investments subject to a floor generally reset by reference to the current market index after one to nine months only if the index exceeds the floor. In regards to variable-rate instruments with a floor, we do not benefit from increases in interest rates until such rates exceed the floor and thereafter benefit from market rates above any such floor. In contrast, our cost of funds, to the extent it is not fixed, will fluctuate with changes in interest rates since it has no floor.

Assuming that the most recent Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities was to remain constant, and no actions were taken to alter the interest rate sensitivity, the following table shows the annualized impact of hypothetical base rate changes in interest rates.

Although management believes that this measure is indicative of our sensitivity to interest rate changes, it does not adjust for potential changes in the credit market, credit quality, size and composition of the assets on the Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities and other business developments that could affect net increase in net assets resulting from operations, or net investment income. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that actual results would not differ materially from those shown above.

Because we borrow money to make investments, our net investment income is dependent upon the difference between the rate at which we borrow funds and the rate at which we invest these funds as well as our level of leverage. As a result, there can be no assurance that a significant change in market interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on our net investment income or net assets.

We may hedge against interest rate and foreign currency fluctuations by using standard hedging instruments such as futures, options and forward contracts or our Credit Facility subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act and applicable commodities laws. While hedging activities may insulate us against adverse changes in interest rates and foreign currencies, they may also limit our ability to participate in benefits of lower interest rates or higher exchange rates with respect to our portfolio of investments with fixed interest rates or investments denominated in foreign currencies. During the periods covered by this prospectus, we did not engage in interest rate hedging activities or foreign currency derivatives hedging activities.

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SENIOR SECURITIES

Information about our senior securities is shown in the following table as of December 31, 2018 (unaudited) and September 30, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009 is from our Consolidated Financial Statements, which has been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm for those periods. This information about our senior securities should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for more information.

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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “PNNT.” The following table lists the high and low closing sale prices for our common stock, the closing sale prices as a premium or (discount) to our NAV and quarterly distributions per share since October 1, 2016. On April 11, 2019, the last reported closing price of our common stock was $7.04 per share.

Shares of BDCs may trade at a market price both above and below the NAV that is attributable to those shares. Our shares have traded above and below our NAV. Our shares closed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market at $6.37 and $7.46 as of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, respectively. Our NAV per share was $9.05 and $9.11 as of December 31, 2018 and September 30, 2018, respectively. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount from NAV or at a premium that is unsustainable over the long term is separate and distinct from the risk that our NAV will decrease. It is not possible to predict whether our shares will trade at, above or below our NAV in the future. As of March 31, 2019, we had 10 stockholders of record.

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SALES OF COMMON STOCK BELOW NET ASSET VALUE

Our stockholders have in the past and may again approve our ability to sell shares of our common stock below our then current NAV per share in one or more public offerings of our common stock. In making a determination that an offering below NAV per share is in our and our stockholders’ best interests, our board of directors, a majority of our directors who have no financial interest in the sale and a majority of our independent directors considered a variety of factors, including:

Our board of directors will also consider the fact that a sale of shares of common stock at a discount will benefit our Investment Adviser, as the Investment Adviser will earn additional investment management fees on the proceeds of such offerings, as it would from the offering of any other securities of PennantPark Investment or from the offering of common stock at premium to NAV per share.

Sales by us of our common stock at a discount from NAV pose potential risks for our existing stockholders whether or not they participate in the offering, as well as for new investors who participate in the offering.

We will not seek to sell shares under a prospectus supplement to the registration statement, or a post-effective amendment to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part (the “current registration statement”) if the cumulative dilution to our NAV per share arising from offerings from the effective date of the current registration statement through and including any follow-on offering would exceed 15% based on the anticipated pricing of such follow-on offering. This limit would be measured separately for each offering pursuant to the current registration statement by calculating the percentage dilution or accretion to aggregate NAV from that offering and then summing the anticipated percentage dilution from each subsequent offering. For example, if our most recently determined NAV per share at the time of the first offering is $10.00, and we have 100 million shares outstanding, the sale of an additional 25 million shares at net proceeds to us of $5.00 per share (a 50% discount) would produce dilution of 10.0%. If we subsequently determined that our NAV per share increased to $11.00 on the then outstanding 125 million shares and contemplated an additional offering, we could, for example, propose to sell approximately 31.25 million additional shares at a price that would be expected to yield net proceeds to us of $8.25 per share, resulting in incremental dilution of 5.0%, before we would reach the aggregate 15% limit. If we file a new post-effective amendment, the threshold would reset.

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The following three headings and accompanying tables explain and provide hypothetical examples assuming proceeds are temporarily invested in cash equivalents on the impact of an offering at a price less than NAV per share on three different sets of investors:

Impact on Existing Stockholders who do not Participate in the Offering

Our existing stockholders who do not participate, or who are not given the opportunity to participate, in an offering below NAV per share or who do not buy additional shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price we obtain in the offering (after any underwriting discounts and commissions) face the greatest potential risks. All stockholders will experience an immediate decrease (often called dilution) in the NAV of the shares they hold. Stockholders who do not participate in the offering will also experience a disproportionately greater decrease in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than stockholders who do participate in the offering. All stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which often reflects, to some degree, announced or potential increases and decreases in NAV per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increase.

The following examples illustrate the level of NAV dilution that would be experienced by a nonparticipating stockholder in three different hypothetical common stock offerings of different sizes and levels of discount from NAV per share, although it is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur. Actual sales prices and discounts may differ from the presentation below.

The examples assume that Company XYZ has 1,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding, $15.0 million in total assets and $5.0 million in total liabilities. The current NAV and NAV per share are thus $10.0 million and $10.00, respectively. The table below illustrates the dilutive effect on nonparticipating Stockholder A of (1) an offering of 50,000 shares (5% of the outstanding shares) at $9.50 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 5% discount from NAV); (2) an offering of 100,000 shares (10% of the outstanding shares) at $9.00 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 10% discount from NAV); and (3) an offering of 250,000 shares (25% of the outstanding shares) at $7.50 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 25% discount from NAV).

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Impact on Existing Stockholders who Participate in the Offering

Our existing stockholders who participate in an offering below NAV per share or who buy additional shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price as we obtain in the offering (after any underwriting discounts and commissions) will experience the same types of NAV dilution as the nonparticipating stockholders, albeit at a lower level, to the extent they purchase less than the same percentage of the offering below NAV as their interest in our shares immediately prior to the offering. The level of NAV dilution on an aggregate basis will decrease as the number of shares such stockholders purchase increases. Existing stockholders who buy more than such percentage will experience NAV dilution but will, in contrast to existing stockholders who purchase less than their proportionate share of the offering, experience an increase (often called accretion) in NAV per share over their investment per share and will also experience a disproportionately greater increase in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than our increase in assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to the offering. The level of accretion will increase as the excess number of shares such stockholder purchases increases. Even a stockholder who over-participates will, however, be subject to the risk that we may make additional offerings below NAV in which such stockholder does not participate, in which case such a stockholder will experience NAV dilution as described above in such subsequent offerings. These stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential increases and decreases in NAV per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discount to NAV increases.

The examples assume that Company XYZ has 1,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding, $15.0 million in total assets and $5.0 million in total liabilities. The current NAV and NAV per share are thus $10.0 million and $10.00, respectively. The table below illustrates the (dilutive) and accretive effect in the hypothetical offering of 25% of the shares outstanding at a 25% discount to NAV from the prior chart for stockholder A that acquires shares equal to (1) 50% of their proportionate share of the offering (i.e., 1,250 shares which is 0.50% of the offering of 250,000 shares rather than their 1.00% proportionate share) and (2) 150% of their proportionate

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share of the offering (i.e., 3,750 shares which is 1.50% of the offering of 250,000 shares rather than their 1.00% proportionate share).

Impact on New Investors

The following examples illustrate the level of NAV dilution or accretion that would be experienced by a new stockholder in three different hypothetical common stock offerings of different sizes and levels of discount from NAV per share, although it is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur. Actual sales prices and discounts may differ from the presentation below.

Investors who are not currently stockholders, but who participate in an offering below NAV and whose investment per share is greater than the resulting NAV per share due to any underwriting discounts and commissions paid by us will experience an immediate decrease, albeit small, in the NAV of their shares and their NAV per share compared to the price they pay for their shares. Investors who are not currently stockholders and who participate in an offering below NAV per share and whose investment per share is also less than the resulting NAV per share due to any underwriting discounts and commissions paid by us being significantly less than the discount per share, will experience an immediate increase in the NAV of their shares and their NAV per share compared to the price they pay for their shares. All these investors will experience a disproportionately greater participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than our increase in assets, potential earning power and voting interests. These investors will, however, be subject to the risk that we may make additional offerings below NAV in which such new stockholder does not participate, in which case such new stockholder will experience dilution as described above in such subsequent offerings. These investors may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential increases and decreases in NAV per share. Their decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increases.

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The following examples illustrate the level of NAV dilution or accretion that would be experienced by a new stockholder who purchases the same percentage (1.00%) of the shares in the three different hypothetical offerings of common stock of different sizes and levels of discount from NAV per share. The examples assume that Company XYZ has 1,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding, $15.0 million in total assets and $5.0 million in total liabilities. The current NAV and NAV per share are thus $10.0 million and $10.00, respectively. The table below illustrates the dilutive and accretive effects on a stockholder A at (1) an offering of 50,000 shares (5% of the outstanding shares) at $9.50 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 5% discount from NAV); (2) an offering of 100,000 shares (10% of the outstanding shares) at $9.00 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 10% discount from NAV); and (3) an offering of 250,000 shares (25% of the outstanding shares) at $7.50 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 25% discount from NAV).