Fees, Expenses, Agreements and Related Party Transactions |
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| Fees, Expenses, Agreements and Related Party Transactions | Fees, Expenses, Agreements and Related Party Transactions Investment Advisory Agreement
On January 20, 2022, the Company entered into an investment advisory agreement (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) with the Adviser, pursuant to which the Adviser manages the Company on a day-to-day basis. The Adviser is responsible for determining the portfolio composition, making investment decisions, monitoring investments, performing due diligence on prospective portfolio companies and providing the Company with such other investment advisory and related services as may reasonably be required for the investment of capital.
The Investment Advisory Agreement is effective for an initial two-year term and will remain in effect from year-to-year thereafter if approved annually by a majority of the Board or by the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding voting securities and, in each case, a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Company may terminate the Investment Advisory Agreement, without payment of any penalty, upon 60 days’ written notice. The Investment Advisory Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment within the meaning of the 1940 Act and related Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) guidance and interpretations.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Company pays the Adviser a fee for its services. The fee consists of two components: a management fee and an incentive fee. The cost of both the management fee and the incentive fee are ultimately borne by the shareholders.
Base Management Fee
The management fee is payable monthly in arrears at an annual rate of 1.25% of the value of the Company’s net assets as of the beginning of the first calendar day of the applicable month. For purposes of the Investment Advisory Agreement, net assets means the Company’s total assets less the carrying value of liabilities, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For the first calendar month in which the Company had operations, net assets were measured as the beginning net assets as of the date on which the Company broke escrow for the Offering.
The Adviser agreed to waive the base management fee from the date on which the Company broke escrow for the Offering through December 31, 2022.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, base management fees were $11.2 million and $1.4 million, respectively, of which $0.0 million and $1.4 million were voluntarily waived by the Adviser, respectively. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, $11.2 million and $0.0 million, respectively, were payable to the Adviser related to management fees.
Incentive Fees
The incentive fee consists of two components that are independent of each other, with the result that one component may be payable even if the other is not. A portion of the incentive fee is based on a percentage of the Company’s income and a portion is based on a percentage of the Company’s capital gains, each as described below.
(i) Income based incentive fee
The income based incentive fee will be based on the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns, as defined below. “Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns” means dividends, cash interest or other distributions or other cash income and any third-party fees received from portfolio companies (such as upfront fees, commitment fees, origination fee, amendment fees, ticking fees and break-up fees, as well as prepayments premiums, but excluding fees for providing managerial assistance and fees earned by the Adviser or an affiliate in its capacity as an administrative agent, syndication agent, collateral agent, loan servicer or other similar capacity) accrued during the quarter, minus operating expenses for the quarter (including the management fee, taxes, any expenses payable under the Investment Advisory Agreement and an administration agreement with the administrator, any expense of securitizations, and interest expense or other financing fees and any dividends paid on preferred stock, but excluding incentive fees and shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees). Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments with PIK interest and zero-coupon securities), accrued income that we have not yet received in cash. Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns do not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation. The impact of expense support payments and recoupments are also excluded from Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns.
Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns, expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets at the end of the immediately preceding quarter, is compared to a “Hurdle Rate” defined as a return of 1.25% per quarter (5.0% annualized).
The Company pays the Adviser an incentive fee quarterly in arrears with respect to the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns in each calendar quarter as follows:
i.No incentive fee will be paid on Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns in any calendar quarter in which the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns do not exceed the Hurdle Rate; and
ii.100% of the dollar amount of the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns with respect to that portion of such Pre- Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns, if any, that exceeds the Hurdle Rate but is less than a rate of return of 1.43% (5.72% annualized). This portion of the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns (which exceeds the Hurdle Rate but is less than 1.43%) is referred to as the “Catch-Up.” The Catch-Up is meant to provide the Adviser with 12.5% of the Company’s Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns as if a Hurdle Rate did not apply if this net investment income exceeds 1.43% in any calendar quarter; and
iii.12.5% of the dollar amount of the Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income Returns, if any, that exceed a rate of return of 1.43% (5.72% annualized).
These calculations are prorated for any period of less than three months, including the first quarter the Company commenced operations, and are adjusted for any share issuances or repurchases during the relevant quarter.
The Adviser agreed to waive the income based incentive fee from the date on which the Company broke escrow for the Offering through December 31, 2022. For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, income based incentive fees were $14.2 million and $1.0 million, respectively, of which $0.0 million and $1.0 million were voluntarily waived by the Adviser, respectively. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, $14.2 million and $0.0 million, respectively, were payable to the Adviser relating to income based incentive fees.
(ii) Capital gains incentive fee
The second component of the incentive fee, the capital gains incentive fee, is payable at the end of each calendar year in arrears. The amount payable equals 12.5% of cumulative realized capital gains attributable to the applicable share class from inception through the end of such calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid incentive fee on capital gains as calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no accrued capital gains incentive fees.
Administration Agreement
On January 20, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) with the Administrator under which the Administrator provides, or oversees the performance of, administrative and compliance services, including, but not limited to, maintaining financial records, overseeing the calculation of the Company’s NAV, compliance monitoring (including diligence and oversight of other service providers), preparing reports to shareholders and reports filed with the SEC and other regulators, preparing materials and coordinating meetings of the Company’s Board, managing the payment of expenses, the payment and receipt of funds for investments and the performance of administrative and professional services rendered by others and providing office space, equipment and office services. The Company reimburses the Administrator for the costs and expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its obligations under the Administration Agreement. Such reimbursement includes the Company’s allocable portion of compensation (including salaries, bonuses and benefits), overhead (including rent, office equipment and utilities) and other expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its administrative obligations under the Administration Agreement, including but not limited to: (i) the Company’s chief compliance officer, chief financial officer and their respective staffs; (ii) investor relations, legal, operations and other non-investment professionals at the Administrator that perform duties for the Company; and (iii) any internal audit group personnel of the Administrator or any of its affiliates, subject to the limitations described in Advisory and Administration Agreements. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Administration Agreement, the Administrator may delegate its obligations under the Administration Agreement to an affiliate or to a third party and the Company will reimburse the Administrator for any services performed for the Company by such affiliate or third party.
The amount of the reimbursement payable to the Administrator for administrative services will be the lesser of (1) Administrators’ actual costs incurred in providing such services and (2) the amount that the Company estimates it would be required to pay alternative service providers for comparable services in the same geographic location. The Administrator is required to allocate the cost of such
services to the Company based on factors such as assets, revenues, time allocations and/or other reasonable metrics. The Company does not reimburse the Administrator for any services for which it receives a separate fee, or for rent, depreciation, utilities, capital equipment or other administrative items allocated to a controlling person of HPS.
Unless earlier terminated as described below, the Administration Agreement is effective for an initial two-year term and will remain in effect from year-to-year thereafter if approved annually by a majority of the Board or by the holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding voting securities and, in each case, a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Company may terminate the Administration Agreement, without payment of any penalty, upon 120 days’ written notice. The Administration Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment within the meaning of the 1940 Act and related SEC guidance and interpretations.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company incurred $0.6 million and $0.2 million, respectively, in expenses under the Administration Agreement, which are recorded in “administrative service expenses” in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there was $2.3 million and $1.8 million, respectively, of administrative service expenses payable by the Company which are included in “due to affiliates” in the Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities.
Sub-Administration and Fund Accounting Servicing Agreements
HPS has hired U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“U.S. Bancorp”) to assist in the provision of sub-administrative and fund accounting services. U.S. Bancorp receives compensation for these services under sub-administration and fund accounting servicing agreements.
Managing Dealer Agreement
On August 3, 2021, the Company entered into a Managing Dealer Agreement (the “Managing Dealer Agreement”) with the Managing Dealer. Under the terms of the Managing Dealer Agreement, the Managing Dealer will serve as the Managing Dealer for the Offering. The Managing Dealer will be entitled to receive distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees monthly in arrears at an annual rate of 0.85% of the value of the Company’s net assets attributable to Class S shares as of the beginning of the first calendar day of the month. The Managing Dealer will be entitled to receive distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees monthly in arrears at an annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the Company’s net assets attributable to Class D shares as of the beginning of the first calendar day of the month. The Managing Dealer will be entitled to receive distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees monthly in arrears at an annual rate of 0.50% of the value of the Company’s net assets attributable to Class F shares as of the beginning of the first calendar day of the month. No distribution and/or shareholding servicing fees will be paid with respect to Class I. The distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees will be payable to the Managing Dealer, but the Managing Dealer anticipates that all or a portion of the shareholder servicing fees will be retained by, or reallowed (paid) to, participating broker-dealers. As set forth in and pursuant to the Managing Dealer Agreement, the Company pays the Managing Dealer certain fees, including a $35,000 engagement fee that was previously paid, a $250,000 fixed managing dealer fee that is payable quarterly (commencing in the first quarter of 2022) in arrears in five equal quarterly installments and a two basis point (0.02%) variable managing dealer fee that is payable on any new capital raised in the offering following the expiration of the initial 15-month period of the Offering. The Company or the Adviser may also pay directly, or reimburse the Managing Dealer if the Managing Dealer pays on the Company’s behalf, any organization and offering expenses (other than any upfront selling commissions and shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees).
The Company will cease paying the distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees on the Class S shares, Class D shares and Class F shares on the earlier to occur of the following: (i) a listing of Class I shares, (ii) a merger or consolidation with or into another entity, or the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or (iii) the date following the completion of the primary portion of the Offering on which, in the aggregate, underwriting compensation from all sources in connection with the Offering, including the distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees and other underwriting compensation, is equal to 10% of the gross proceeds from the Offering.
In addition, at the end of the month in which the Managing Dealer in conjunction with the transfer agent determines that total transaction or other fees, including upfront placement fees or brokerage commissions, and shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees paid with respect to any single share held in a shareholder’s account would exceed, in the aggregate, 10% of the gross proceeds from the sale of such share (or a lower limit as determined by the Managing Dealer or the applicable selling agent), the Company will cease paying the shareholder servicing and/or distribution fee on either (i) each such share that would exceed such limit or (ii) all Class S shares, Class D shares and Class F shares in such shareholder’s account. At the end of such month, the applicable Class S shares, Class D shares or Class F shares in such shareholder’s account will convert into a number of Class I shares (including any fractional shares), with an equivalent aggregate NAV as such Class S, Class D or Class F shares.
The Managing Dealer is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA.
The Managing Dealer Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the Company’s trustees who are not “interested persons”, as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Company and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Company’s distribution plan or the Managing Dealer Agreement or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company, on not more than 60 days’ written notice to the Managing Dealer or the Adviser. The Managing Dealer Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment, as defined in the 1940 Act.
Either party may terminate the Managing Dealer Agreement upon 60 days’ written notice to the other party or immediately upon notice to the other party in the event such other party failed to comply with a material provision of the Managing Dealer Agreement. The Company’s obligations under the Managing Dealer Agreement to pay the shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees with respect to the Class S, Class D shares and Class F shares distributed shall survive termination of the agreement until such shares are no longer outstanding (including such shares that have been converted into Class I shares, as described above).
Distribution and Servicing Plan
On August 9, 2021, the Board approved a distribution and servicing plan (the “Distribution and Servicing Plan”). The following table shows the shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees the Company pays the Managing Dealer with respect to the Class S, Class I, Class D, and Class F on an annualized basis as a percentage of the Company’s NAV for such class.
The shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees are paid monthly in arrears, calculated using the net asset value of the applicable class as of the beginning of the first calendar day of the month and subject to FINRA and other limitations on underwriting compensation. The Managing Dealer agreed to waive shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees for Class D shares and Class F shares for the first nine months following the date on which the Company broke escrow for the Offering.
The Managing Dealer will reallow (pay) all or a portion of the shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees to participating brokers and servicing brokers for ongoing shareholder services performed by such brokers, and will waive shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees to the extent a broker is not eligible to receive it for failure to provide such services. Because the shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees with respect to Class S, Class D or Class F shares are calculated based on the aggregate net asset value for all of the outstanding shares of each such class, it reduces the net asset value with respect to all shares of each such class, including shares issued under the Company’s distribution reinvestment plan.
Eligibility to receive the shareholder servicing and/or distribution fee is conditioned on a broker providing the following ongoing services with respect to the Class S, Class D or Class F shares: assistance with recordkeeping, answering investor inquiries regarding the Company, including regarding distribution payments and reinvestments, helping investors understand their investments upon their request, and assistance with share repurchase requests. If the applicable broker is not eligible to receive the shareholder servicing and/or distribution fee due to failure to provide these services, the Managing Dealer will waive the shareholder servicing fee and/or distribution that broker would have otherwise been eligible to receive. The shareholder servicing and/or distribution fees are ongoing fees that are not paid at the time of purchase.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company accrued distribution and shareholder servicing fees of $0.3 million and $0.0 million attributable to Class D shares, respectively, and $2.8 million and $0.3 million attributable to Class F shares. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, all distribution and shareholder servicing fees were waived. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there was $1.1 million and $1.0 million, respectively, of shareholder servicing fees payable to the Managing Dealer.
Expense Support and Conditional Reimbursement Agreement
On January 20, 2022, the Company entered into an expense support and conditional reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Support Agreement”) with the Adviser. Pursuant to the Expense Support Agreement, on a monthly basis, the Adviser is obligated to advance all of the Company’s Other Operating Expenses (as defined hereafter) (each, a “Required Expense Payment”) to the extent that such expenses exceed 1.00% (on an annualized basis) of the Company’s NAV. The Adviser may elect to pay an additional portion of the Company’s expenses from time to time, which the Company will be obligated to reimburse to the Adviser at a later date if certain conditions are met.
“Other Operating Expenses” means the Company’s total organization and offering expenses, professional fees, trustee fees, administration fees, and other general and administrative expenses (including the Company’s allocable portion of compensation (including salaries, bonuses and benefits), overhead (including rent, office equipment and utilities) and other expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its administrative obligations under the Administration Agreement).
Any Required Expense Payment must be paid by the Adviser to the Company in any combination of cash or other immediately available funds and/or offset against amounts due from the Company to the Adviser or its affiliates.
The Adviser may elect to pay certain additional expenses on behalf of the Company (each, a “Voluntary Expense Payment” and together with a Required Expense Payment, the “Expense Payments”), provided that no portion of the payment will be used to pay any interest expense or distribution and/or shareholder servicing fees of the Company. Any Voluntary Expense Payment that the Adviser has committed to pay must be paid by the Adviser to the Company in any combination of cash or other immediately available funds no later than forty-five days after such commitment was made in writing, and/or offset against amounts due from the Company to the Adviser or its affiliates.
Following any calendar month in which Available Operating Funds (as defined below) exceed the cumulative distributions accrued to the Company’s shareholders based on distributions declared with respect to record dates occurring in such calendar month (the amount of such excess being hereinafter referred to as “Excess Operating Funds”), the Company shall pay such Excess Operating Funds, or a portion thereof, to the Adviser until such time as all Expense Payments made by the Adviser to the Company within three years prior to the last business day of such calendar month have been reimbursed. Any payments required to be made by the Company shall be referred to herein as a “Reimbursement Payment.”
“Available Operating Funds” means the sum of (i) the Company’s net investment company taxable income (including net short-term capital gains reduced by net long-term capital losses), (ii) the Company’s net capital gains (including the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) and (iii) dividends and other distributions paid to the Company on account of investments in portfolio companies (to the extent such amounts listed in clause (iii) are not included under clauses (i) and (ii) above).
The Company’s obligation to make a Reimbursement Payment shall automatically become a liability of the Company on the last business day of the applicable calendar month, except to the extent the Adviser has waived its right to receive such payment for the applicable month.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Adviser made Expense Payments in the amount of $0.0 million and $2.8 million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022, there were no Reimbursement Payments made to the Adviser.
The following table presents a summary of Expense Payments and the related Reimbursement Payments for the three months ended March 31, 2022:
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