Main Street Capital Corporation Automatic shelf registration statement on Form N-2 for well-known seasoned issuers


Stockholder Transaction Expenses:
Sales load (as a percentage of offering price)	—%	(1)
Offering expenses (as a percentage of offering price)	—%	(2)
Dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase plan expenses	—%	(3)
Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price)	—%	(4)
Annual Expenses of the Company (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock as of December 31, 2024):
Operating expenses	3.06%	(5)
Interest payments on borrowed funds	4.72%	(6)
Income tax expense	1.09%	(7)
Acquired fund fees and expenses	0.16%	(8)
Total annual expenses	9.03%

___________________________

(1)In the event that the securities to which this prospectus relates are sold to or through underwriters, a corresponding prospectus supplement will disclose the applicable sales load (underwriting discount or commission). Purchases of shares of our common stock on the secondary market are not subject to sales charges but may be subject to brokerage commissions or other charges. The table does not include any sales load that stockholders may have paid in connection with their purchase of shares of our common stock.

(2)In the event that we conduct an offering of our securities, a corresponding prospectus supplement will disclose the estimated amount of offering expenses, the offering price and the offering expenses borne by us as a percentage of the offering price.

(3)The expenses of administering our dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase plan are included in operating expenses.

(4)The related prospectus supplement will disclose the offering price and the total stockholder transaction expenses as a percentage of the offering price.

(5)Operating expenses in this table represent the estimated expenses of MSCC and its consolidated subsidiaries.

(6)Interest payments on borrowed funds represent our estimated annual interest payments on borrowed funds based on current debt levels as adjusted for projected increases (but not decreases) in debt levels over the next twelve months.

(7)Income tax expense relates to the accrual of (a) deferred tax provision (benefit) primarily related to loss carryforwards, timing differences in net unrealized appreciation or depreciation and other temporary book-tax differences from our portfolio investments held in Taxable Subsidiaries and (b) excise, state and other taxes. Deferred taxes are non-cash in nature and may vary significantly from period to period. We are required to include deferred taxes in calculating our annual expenses even though deferred taxes are not currently payable or receivable. Due to the variable nature of deferred tax expense, which can be a large portion of the income tax expense, and the difficulty in providing an estimate for future periods, this income tax expense estimate is based upon the actual amount of income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2024.

(8)Acquired fund fees and expenses represent the estimated indirect expense incurred due to investments in other investment companies and private funds.

Sales Load [Percent]

0.00%

Other Transaction Expenses [Abstract]

Other Transaction Expense 1 [Percent]

0.00%

Other Transaction Expense 2 [Percent]

0.00%

Annual Expenses [Table Text Block]


Stockholder Transaction Expenses:
Sales load (as a percentage of offering price)	—%	(1)
Offering expenses (as a percentage of offering price)	—%	(2)
Dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase plan expenses	—%	(3)
Total stockholder transaction expenses (as a percentage of offering price)	—%	(4)
Annual Expenses of the Company (as a percentage of net assets attributable to common stock as of December 31, 2024):
Operating expenses	3.06%	(5)
Interest payments on borrowed funds	4.72%	(6)
Income tax expense	1.09%	(7)
Acquired fund fees and expenses	0.16%	(8)
Total annual expenses	9.03%

___________________________

(3)The expenses of administering our dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase plan are included in operating expenses.

(4)The related prospectus supplement will disclose the offering price and the total stockholder transaction expenses as a percentage of the offering price.

(5)Operating expenses in this table represent the estimated expenses of MSCC and its consolidated subsidiaries.

(8)Acquired fund fees and expenses represent the estimated indirect expense incurred due to investments in other investment companies and private funds.

Management Fees [Percent]

3.06%

Interest Expenses on Borrowings [Percent]

4.72%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses [Percent]

0.16%

Other Annual Expenses [Abstract]

Other Annual Expenses [Percent]

1.09%

Total Annual Expenses [Percent]

9.03%

Expense Example [Table Text Block]

Example

The following example demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in our common stock. In calculating the following expense amounts, we have assumed we would have no additional leverage and that our annual operating expenses would remain at the levels set forth in the table above. Transaction expenses are not included in the following example. In the event that shares to which this prospectus relates are sold to or through underwriters, a corresponding prospectus supplement will restate this example to reflect the applicable sales load.


	1 Year		3 Years		5 Years		10 Years
You would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment, assuming a 5.0% annual return	$	88	$	255	$	408	$	740

Expense Example, Year 01

$ 88

Expense Example, Years 1 to 3

255

Expense Example, Years 1 to 5

408

Expense Example, Years 1 to 10

$ 740

Purpose of Fee Table , Note [Text Block]

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the costs and expenses that an investor in our common stock will bear directly or indirectly, based on the assumptions set forth below. We caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “you,” “us” or “Main Street,” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, stockholders will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as investors in us.

Other Transaction Fees, Note [Text Block]

In the event that we conduct an offering of our securities, a corresponding prospectus supplement will disclose the estimated amount of offering expenses, the offering price and the offering expenses borne by us as a percentage of the offering price.

(3)The expenses of administering our dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase plan are included in operating expenses.

Other Expenses, Note [Text Block]

Income tax expense relates to the accrual of (a) deferred tax provision (benefit) primarily related to loss carryforwards, timing differences in net unrealized appreciation or depreciation and other temporary book-tax differences from our portfolio investments held in Taxable Subsidiaries and (b) excise, state and other taxes. Deferred taxes are non-cash in nature and may vary significantly from period to period. We are required to include deferred taxes in calculating our annual expenses even though deferred taxes are not currently payable or receivable. Due to the variable nature of deferred tax expense, which can be a large portion of the income tax expense, and the difficulty in providing an estimate for future periods, this income tax expense estimate is based upon the actual amount of income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, Note [Text Block]

Acquired fund fees and expenses represent the estimated indirect expense incurred due to investments in other investment companies and private funds.

Acquired Fund Fees Estimated, Note [Text Block]

Acquired fund fees and expenses represent the estimated indirect expense incurred due to investments in other investment companies and private funds.

General Description of Registrant [Abstract]

Risk Factors [Table Text Block]

Risks Associated with Our Business

Our business is subject to numerous risks, as described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, and under similar headings in the documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including the section titled “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC.

The following is a summary of the principal risk factors associated with an investment in our securities:

Risks Related to our Business and Structure

•Because our Investment Portfolio is recorded at fair value, there is and will continue to be uncertainty as to the value of our portfolio investments.

•Our financial condition and results of operations depends on our ability to effectively manage and deploy capital.

•We are subject to risks associated with the interest rate environment and changes in interest rates will affect our cost of capital, net investment income and the value of our investments.

•We face increasing competition for investment opportunities.

•We are dependent upon our key investment personnel for our future success.

•Our success depends on attracting and retaining qualified personnel in a competitive environment.

•Our business model depends to a significant extent upon strong referral relationships.

•Our Board of Directors may change our operating policies and strategies without prior notice or stockholder approval, the effects of which may be adverse.

Risks Related to our Investments

•The types of portfolio companies in which we invest involve significant risks and we could lose all or part of our investment.

•Economic recessions or downturns could impair our portfolio companies’ performance and defaults by our portfolio companies will harm our operating results.

•Rising credit spreads could affect the value of our investments, and rising interest rates make it more difficult for portfolio companies to make periodic payments on their loans.

•Inflation could adversely affect the business, results of operations and financial condition of our portfolio companies.

•We may be exposed to higher risks with respect to our investments that include original issue discount or Paid-in-Kind (“PIK”) interest.

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

•We may not have the funds or ability to make additional investments in our portfolio companies.

•There may be circumstances where our debt investments could be subordinated to claims of other creditors or we could be subject to lender liability claims.

•We generally will not control our portfolio companies.

•Defaults by our portfolio companies will harm our operating results.

•Any unrealized depreciation that we experience in our portfolio may be an indication of future realized losses, which could reduce our income and gains available for distribution.

•Prepayments of our debt investments by our portfolio companies could adversely impact our results of operations and reduce our return on equity.

•We may be subject to risks associated with “covenant-lite” loans.

•We may not realize gains from our equity investments.

Risks Related to Leverage

•Because we borrow money, the potential for gain or loss on amounts invested in us is magnified and may increase the risk of investing in us.

•Substantially all of our assets are subject to security interests under our senior securities and if we default on our obligations under our senior securities, we may suffer adverse consequences, including foreclosure on our assets.

•We are subject to risks associated with any revolving credit facility that utilizes a Structured Subsidiary as our interests in any Structured Subsidiary are subordinated and we could be prevented from receiving cash on our equity interests from a Structured Subsidiary.

Risks Related to our Investment Management Activities

•Our executive officers and employees, through the External Investment Manager, may manage other investment funds that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do, and may invest in such funds, which may result in significant conflicts of interest.

•We, through the External Investment Manager, derive revenues from managing third-party funds pursuant to management agreements that may be terminated.

Risks Related to BDCs

•Operating under the constraints imposed on us as a BDC and RIC may hinder the achievement of our investment objectives.

Risks Related to our Securities

•Investing in our securities may involve a high degree of risk.

•Shares of closed-end investment companies, including BDCs, may trade at a discount to their NAV.

•We may not be able to pay distributions to our stockholders, our distributions may not grow over time, and a portion of distributions paid to our stockholders may be a return of capital.

Risks Related to our SBIC Funds

•We, through the Funds, issue debt securities guaranteed by the SBA and sold in the capital markets. As a result of its guarantee of the debt securities, the SBA has fixed dollar claims on the assets of the Funds that are superior to the claims of our securities holders.

Federal Income Tax Risks

•We will be subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income tax if we are unable to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.

•We may have difficulty paying the distributions required to maintain RIC tax treatment under the Code if we recognize income before or without receiving cash representing such income.

General Risk Factors

•Events outside of our control, including public health crises, supply chain disruptions and inflation, could negatively affect our portfolio companies and the results of our operations.

•Market conditions may materially and adversely affect debt and equity capital markets in the United States and abroad, which may have a negative impact on our business and operations.

•Failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations and changes in laws or regulations governing our operations may adversely affect our business or cause us to alter our business strategy.

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, together with other information in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference, and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering. The risks described in these documents are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. Past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. This could cause our NAV and the trading price of our securities to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section titled “Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements.”

Share Price [Table Text Block]


			Price Range				Premium of High Sales Price to		Premium of Low Sales Price to
	NAV(1)		High		Low		NAV(2)		NAV(2)
Year ending December 31, 2025
First Quarter (through February 26, 2025)	*		$	63.10	$	57.72	*		*
Year ended December 31, 2024
Fourth Quarter	$	31.65	$	58.58	$	49.95	85	%	58	%
Third Quarter	30.57		52.25		47.05		71	%	54	%
Second Quarter	29.80		50.88		46.68		71	%	57	%
First Quarter	29.54		47.31		43.45		60	%	47	%
Year ended December 31, 2023
Fourth Quarter	$	29.20	$	43.80	$	37.87	50	%	30	%
Third Quarter	28.33		42.73		39.61		51	%	40	%
Second Quarter	27.69		41.17		38.10		49	%	38	%
First Quarter	27.23		42.49		36.87		56	%	35	%

___________________________

*NAV has not yet been determined for the first quarter of 2025.

(1)NAV is determined as of the last day in the relevant quarter and therefore may not reflect the NAV per share on the date of the high and low closing prices. The net asset values shown are based on outstanding shares at the end of each period.

(2)Calculated for each quarter as (i) NAV subtracted from the respective high or low share price divided by (ii) NAV.

Lowest Price or Bid

$ 57.72

$ 49.95

$ 47.05

$ 46.68

$ 43.45

$ 37.87

$ 39.61

$ 38.10

$ 36.87

Highest Price or Bid

$ 63.10

$ 58.58

$ 52.25

$ 50.88

$ 47.31

$ 43.80

$ 42.73

$ 41.17

$ 42.49

Highest Price or Bid, Premium (Discount) to NAV [Percent]

85.00%

71.00%

60.00%

50.00%

51.00%

49.00%

56.00%

Lowest Price or Bid, Premium (Discount) to NAV [Percent]

58.00%

54.00%

57.00%

47.00%

30.00%

40.00%

38.00%

35.00%

NAV Per Share

$ 31.65

$ 30.57

$ 29.80

$ 29.54

$ 29.20

$ 28.33

$ 27.69

$ 27.23

Capital Stock, Long-Term Debt, and Other Securities [Abstract]

Capital Stock [Table Text Block]

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following description is based on relevant portions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and on our articles of incorporation and bylaws. This summary may not contain all of the information that is important to you, and we refer you to the Maryland General Corporation Law and our articles of incorporation and bylaws for a more detailed description of the provisions summarized below. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to any shares of our common stock being offered.

Under the terms of our articles of incorporation, our authorized capital stock consists of 150,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share. Set forth below is a chart describing the classes of our common stock outstanding as of February 26, 2025:


(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Title of Class	Amount Authorized	Amount Held by us or for Our Account	Amount Outstanding Exclusive of Amounts Shown Under (3)
Common Stock	150,000,000	—	88,556,229

Under our articles of incorporation, our Board of Directors is authorized to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock, and to cause the issuance of such shares, without obtaining stockholder approval. In addition, as permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, but subject to the 1940 Act, our articles of incorporation provide that the Board of Directors, without any action by our stockholders, may amend the articles of incorporation from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue. Under Maryland law, our stockholders generally are not personally liable for our debts or obligations.

All shares of our common stock have equal voting rights and rights to earnings, assets and distributions, except as described below. When shares are issued, upon payment therefor, they will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Distributions may be paid to the holders of our common stock if, as and when authorized by our Board of Directors and declared by us out of assets legally available therefore. Shares of our common stock have no conversion, exchange, preemptive or redemption rights. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each share of our common stock would be entitled to share ratably in all of our assets that are legally available for distribution after we pay all debts and other liabilities and subject to any preferential rights of holders of our preferred stock, if any preferred stock is outstanding at such time. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Except as provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of our common stock will possess exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock will elect all of our directors, and holders of less than a majority of such shares will be unable to elect any director.

Limitation on Liability of Directors and Officers; Indemnification and Advance of Expenses

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

Our articles of incorporation require us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which such person shall have been finally adjudicated in any proceeding to be liable to us or our stockholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office.

Our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made a party to a proceeding by reason of his or her service in any such capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which such person shall have been finally adjudicated in any proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in our best interest or to be liable to us or our stockholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office. Our bylaws also require that, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, we may pay certain expenses incurred by any such indemnified person in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding.

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

In addition, we have entered into Indemnity Agreements with our directors and executive officers. The Indemnity Agreements generally provide that we will, to the extent specified in the agreements and to the fullest extent permitted by the 1940 Act and Maryland law as in effect on the day the agreement is executed, indemnify and advance expenses to each indemnitee that is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a witness in any civil, criminal or administrative proceeding. We will indemnify the indemnitee against all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any such proceeding unless it is established that (i) the act or omission of the indemnitee was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (ii) the indemnitee actually received an improper personal benefit, or (iii) in the case of a criminal proceeding, the indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Additionally, for so long as we are subject to the 1940 Act, no advancement of expenses will be made until (i) the indemnitee provides a security for his or her undertaking, (ii) we are insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) the majority of a quorum of our disinterested directors, or independent counsel in a written opinion, determines based on a review of readily available facts that there is reason to believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification. The Indemnity Agreements also provide that if the indemnification rights provided for therein are unavailable for any reason, we will pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by the indemnitee in connection with any covered proceeding and waive and relinquish any right of contribution we may have against the indemnitee. The rights provided by the Indemnity Agreements are in addition to any other rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses to which the indemnitee may be entitled under applicable law, our articles of incorporation, our bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment or repeal of the Indemnity Agreements will limit or restrict any right of the indemnitee in respect of any action taken or omitted by the indemnitee prior to such amendment or repeal. The Indemnity Agreements will terminate upon the later of (i) ten years after the date the indemnitee has ceased to serve as our director or officer, or (ii) one year after the final termination of any proceeding for which the indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses or which is brought by the indemnitee. The above description of the Indemnity Agreements is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the form of Indemnity Agreement. We have also entered into agreements similar to the form of Indemnity Agreement with certain of our non-officer and non-director employees and agents serving as officers, managers, directors and in other similar roles of certain of our subsidiaries and portfolio companies at our request.

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

Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

The Maryland General Corporation Law and our articles of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a potential acquiror to acquire us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. These provisions are expected to discourage certain coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our Board of Directors. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging any such acquisition proposals because, among other things, the negotiation of such proposals may improve their terms.

Election of Directors

Our bylaws provide that in uncontested elections, directors are elected by a majority of the votes cast in the election of directors, such that a nominee for director will be elected to the Board of Directors if the votes cast for such nominee’s election exceed the votes cast against such nominee’s election. In a contested election (i.e., the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected), directors would be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in such election. Pursuant to our corporate governance guidelines, incumbent directors must agree to tender their resignation if they fail to receive the required number of votes for re-election in a case where a majority voting standard is applied, and in such event the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors will act on an expedited basis to determine whether to accept the director’s resignation and will submit such recommendation for prompt consideration by the Board of Directors. These procedures are described in more detail in our Corporate Governance and Stock Ownership Guidelines, which are available at www.mainstcapital.com under “Governance — Governance Documents” in the “Investors” section of our website. Pursuant to our articles of incorporation and bylaws, our Board of Directors may amend the bylaws to alter the vote required to elect directors.

Number of Directors; Vacancies; Removal

Our articles of incorporation provide that the number of directors will be set only by the Board of Directors in accordance with our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that a majority of our entire Board of Directors may at any time increase or decrease the number of directors. However, unless the bylaws are amended, the number of directors may never be less than one or more than twelve. We have elected to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the Maryland General Corporation Law regarding the filling of vacancies on the Board of Directors. Accordingly, at such time, except as may be provided by the Board of Directors in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any and all vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies, subject to any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act. Our stockholders may remove a director, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors.

Action by Stockholders

Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, stockholder action may be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders or by unanimous consent in lieu of a meeting (unless the articles of incorporation provide for stockholder action by less than unanimous written consent, which our articles of incorporation do not). These provisions, combined with the requirements of our bylaws regarding the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders discussed below, may have the effect of delaying consideration of a stockholder proposal until the next annual meeting.

Advance Notice Provisions for Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by the Board of Directors or (3) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of the bylaws. With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors at a special meeting may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by the Board of Directors or (3) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting, by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions of the bylaws.

The purpose of requiring stockholders to give us advance notice of nominations and other business is to afford our Board of Directors a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees and the advisability of any other proposed business and, to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by our Board of Directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business, as well as to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of stockholders. Although our bylaws do not give our Board of Directors any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals recommending certain action, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if proper procedures are not followed and of discouraging or deterring a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal without regard to whether consideration of such nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.

Calling of Special Meeting of Stockholders

Our bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called by our Board of Directors and certain of our officers. Additionally, our bylaws provide that, subject to the satisfaction of certain procedural and informational requirements by the stockholders requesting the meeting, a special meeting of stockholders shall be called by our secretary upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting.

Approval of Extraordinary Corporate Action; Amendment of Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its articles of incorporation, merge, convert, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business, unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its articles of incorporation for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our articles of incorporation generally provide for approval of amendments to our articles of incorporation and extraordinary transactions by the stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our articles of incorporation also provide that certain amendments and any proposal for our conversion, whether by merger or otherwise, from a closed-end company to an open-end company or any proposal for our liquidation or dissolution requires the approval of the stockholders entitled to cast at least 75% of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter. However, if such amendment or proposal is approved by at least 75% of our continuing directors (in addition to approval by our Board of Directors), such amendment or proposal may be approved by the stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on such a matter. The “continuing directors” are defined in our articles of incorporation as our current directors, as well as those directors whose nomination for election by the stockholders or whose election by the directors to fill vacancies is approved by a majority of the continuing directors then on the Board of Directors.

Our articles of incorporation and bylaws provide that the Board of Directors has the exclusive power to make, alter, amend or repeal any provision of our bylaws.

No Appraisal Rights

Except with respect to appraisal rights that may arise in connection with the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act, or Control Share Act, discussed below, as permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, our articles of incorporation provide that stockholders will not be entitled to exercise appraisal rights.

Control Share Acquisitions

The Control Share Act provides that control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition have no voting rights except to the extent approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Shares owned by the acquiror, by officers or by directors who are employees of the corporation are excluded from shares entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:

•one-tenth or more but less than one-third;

•one-third or more but less than a majority; or

•a majority or more of all voting power.

The requisite stockholder approval must be obtained each time an acquiror crosses one of the thresholds of voting power set forth above. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the corporation may repurchase for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved. The right of the corporation to repurchase control shares is subject to certain conditions and limitations. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of the shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.

The Control Share Act does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation.

We are not currently subject to the Control Share Act since our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the Control Share Act any and all acquisitions by any person of our shares of stock. There can be no assurance that such provision will not be otherwise amended or eliminated at any time in the future. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at least one United States District Court has held that opting into the Control Share Act conflicts with Section 18(i) of the 1940 Act, made applicable to BDCs by Section 61 thereunder. While the same holding may not apply to a BDC that is subject to the Control Share Act unless it opts out, we will amend our bylaws to be subject to the Control Share Act only if the Board of Directors determines that doing so is consistent with Section 18(i) of the 1940 Act and it would be in our best interests in light of (1) our Board of Directors’ fiduciary obligations to us, (2) applicable federal and state law provisions and (3) the particular facts and circumstances surrounding our Board of Directors’ action.

Business Combinations

Under the Maryland Business Combination Act, or the Business Combination Act, “business combinations” between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder is defined as:

•any person who, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock; or

•an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation.

A person is not an interested stockholder under this statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which such stockholder otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. However, in approving a transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

•80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and

•two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.

These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.

The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our Board of Directors has adopted a resolution exempting any business combination between us and any other person from the provisions of the Business Combination Act, provided that the business combination is first approved by the Board of Directors, including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons as defined in the 1940 Act. This resolution, however, may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any time. If these resolutions are repealed, or the Board of Directors does not otherwise approve a business combination, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.

Conflict with 1940 Act

Our bylaws provide that, if and to the extent that any provision of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or any provision of our articles of incorporation or bylaws conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, the applicable provision of the 1940 Act will control.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

Our articles of incorporation authorize our Board of Directors to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of stock into other classes or series of stock, including preferred stock. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, the Board of Directors is required by Maryland law and by our articles of incorporation to set the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each class or series. Thus, the Board of Directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of our securities or otherwise be in their best interest. You should note, however, that any issuance of preferred stock must comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (1) immediately after issuance and before any dividend or other distribution is made with respect to our securities and before any purchase of securities is made, such preferred stock together with all other senior securities must not exceed an amount equal to 66-2/3% of our total assets after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and (2) the holders of shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, 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. Certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock. For example, holders of preferred stock would vote separately from the holders of common stock on a proposal to cease operations as a business development company. Further, the 1940 Act requires that any distributions we make on preferred stock be cumulative. We believe that the availability for issuance of preferred stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring future financings and acquisitions.

For any class or series of preferred stock that we may issue, our Board of Directors will determine and the articles supplementary and the prospectus supplement relating to such class or series will describe:

•the designation and number of shares of such class or series;

•the rate and time at which, and the preferences and conditions under which, any dividends will be paid on shares of such class or series, as well as whether such dividends are participating or non-participating;

•any provisions relating to convertibility or exchangeability of the shares of such class or series, including adjustments to the conversion price of such class or series;

•the rights and preferences, if any, of holders of shares of such class or series upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs;

•the voting powers, if any, of the holders of shares of such class or series;

•any provisions relating to the redemption of the shares of such class or series;

•any limitations on our ability to pay dividends or make distributions on, or acquire or redeem, other securities while shares of such class or series are outstanding;

•any conditions or restrictions on our ability to issue additional shares of such class or series or other securities;

•if applicable, a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

•any other relative powers, preferences and participating, optional or special rights of shares of such class or series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.

All shares of preferred stock that we may issue will be identical and of equal rank except as to the particular terms thereof that may be fixed by our Board of Directors, and all shares of each class or series of preferred stock will be identical and of equal rank except as to the dates from which cumulative dividends, if any, thereon will be cumulative. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to any preferred stock being offered, as well as the complete articles supplementary that contain the terms of the applicable class or series of preferred stock.

Preferred Stock Restrictions, Other [Text Block]

You should note, however, that any issuance of preferred stock must comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires, among other things, that (1) immediately after issuance and before any dividend or other distribution is made with respect to our securities and before any purchase of securities is made, such preferred stock together with all other senior securities must not exceed an amount equal to 66-2/3% of our total assets after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, and (2) the holders of shares of preferred stock, if any are issued, 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. Certain matters under the 1940 Act require the separate vote of the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock. For example, holders of preferred stock would vote separately from the holders of common stock on a proposal to cease operations as a business development company. Further, the 1940 Act requires that any distributions we make on preferred stock be cumulative. We believe that the availability for issuance of preferred stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring future financings and acquisitions.

Long Term Debt [Table Text Block]

DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES

We may issue debt securities in one or more series. The specific terms of each series of debt securities will be described in the particular prospectus supplement relating to that series. The prospectus supplement may or may not modify the general terms found in this prospectus and will be filed with the SEC. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to the series of debt securities being offered, as well as the complete indentures that contain the terms of the debt securities.

As required by federal law for all bonds and notes of companies that are publicly offered, the debt securities are governed by a document called an “indenture.” An indenture is a contract between us and a financial institution acting as trustee on your behalf, and is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The trustee has two main roles. First, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on your behalf, described in the second paragraph under “Events of Default — Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs.” Second, the trustee performs certain administrative duties for us with respect to the debt securities.

Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities and the indenture. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities. A copy of the form of indenture is attached to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We will file a supplemental indenture with the SEC in connection with any debt offering, at which time the supplemental indenture would be publicly available. See “Available Information” for information on how to obtain a copy of the indenture.

The prospectus supplement, which will accompany this prospectus, will describe the particular series of debt securities being offered including:

•the designation or title of the series of debt securities;

•the total principal amount of the series of debt securities;

•the percentage of the principal amount at which the series of debt securities will be offered;

•the date or dates on which principal will be payable;

•the rate or rates (which may be either fixed or variable) and/or the method of determining such rate or rates of interest, if any;

•the date or dates from which any interest will accrue, or the method of determining such date or dates, and the date or dates on which any interest will be payable;

•whether any interest may be paid by issuing additional securities of the same series in lieu of cash (and the terms upon which any such interest may be paid by issuing additional securities);

•the terms for redemption, extension or early repayment, if any;

•the currencies in which the series of debt securities are issued and payable;

•whether the amount of payments of principal, premium or interest, if any, on a series of debt securities will be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which could be based on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices) and how these amounts will be determined;

•the place or places of payment, transfer, conversion and/or exchange of the debt securities;

•the denominations in which the offered debt securities will be issued (if other than $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof);

•the provision for any sinking fund;

•any restrictive covenants;

•any Events of Default;

•whether the series of debt securities are issuable in certificated form;

•any provisions for defeasance or covenant defeasance;

•any special U.S. federal income tax implications, including, if applicable, U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to original issue discount;

•whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether we will have the option to redeem the debt securities rather than pay the additional amounts (and the terms of this option);

•any provisions for convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities into or for any other securities;

•whether the debt securities are subject to subordination and the terms of such subordination;

•whether the debt securities are secured and the terms of any security interests;

•the listing, if any, of the debt securities on a securities exchange; and

•any other terms of the debt securities.

The debt securities may be secured or unsecured obligations. Under the provisions of the 1940 Act, we are permitted, as a BDC, to issue debt only in amounts such that our asset coverage, as defined in the 1940 Act, equals at least 200% (or 150% if certain requirements are met) after each issuance of debt. Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, will be paid by us in immediately available funds.

General

The indenture provides that any debt securities proposed to be sold under this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement (“offered debt securities”) may be issued under the indenture in one or more series.

For purposes of this prospectus, any reference to the payment of principal of or premium or interest, if any, on debt securities will include additional amounts if required by the terms of the debt securities.

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder from time to time. Debt securities issued under the indenture, when a single trustee is acting for all debt securities issued under the indenture, are called the “indenture securities.” The indenture also provides that there may be more than one trustee thereunder, each with respect to one or more different series of indenture securities. See “Resignation of Trustee” below. At a time when two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, each with respect to only certain series, the term “indenture securities” means the one or more series of debt securities with respect to which each respective trustee is acting. In the event that there is more than one trustee under the indenture, the powers and trust obligations of each trustee described in this prospectus will extend only to the one or more series of indenture securities for which it is trustee. If two or more trustees are acting under the indenture, then the indenture securities for which each trustee is acting would be treated as if issued under separate indentures.

The indenture does not contain any provisions that give you protection in the event we issue a large amount of debt or we are acquired by another entity.

We refer you to the prospectus supplement for information with respect to any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or our covenants that are described below, including any addition of a covenant or other provision providing event risk protection or similar protection.

We have the ability to issue indenture securities with terms different from those of indenture securities previously issued and, without the consent of the holders thereof, to reopen a previous issue of a series of indenture securities and issue additional indenture securities of that series, unless the reopening was restricted when that series was created.

Conversion and Exchange

If any debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the prospectus supplement will explain the terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange, including the conversion price or exchange ratio (or the calculation method), the conversion or exchange period (or how the period will be determined), if conversion or exchange will be mandatory or at the option of the holder or us, provisions for adjusting the conversion price or the exchange ratio and provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of the redemption of the underlying securities. These terms may also include provisions under which the number or amount of other securities to be received by the holders of the debt securities upon conversion or exchange would be calculated according to the market price of the other securities as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement.

Issuance of Securities in Registered Form

We may issue the debt securities in registered form, in which case we may issue them either in book-entry form only or in “certificated” form. Debt securities issued in book-entry form will be represented by global securities. We expect that we will usually issue debt securities only in book-entry form represented by global securities.

Book-Entry Holders

We will issue registered debt securities in book-entry form only, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means debt securities will be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a depositary that will hold them on behalf of financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the debt securities held by the depositary or its nominee. These institutions may hold these interests on behalf of themselves or customers.

Under the indenture, only the person in whose name a debt security is registered is recognized as the holder of that debt security. Consequently, for debt securities issued in book-entry form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the debt securities and we will make all payments on the debt securities to the depositary. The depositary will then pass along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn will pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the debt securities.

As a result, investors will not own debt securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the debt securities are represented by one or more global securities, investors will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities.

Street Name Holders

In the future, we may issue debt securities in certificated form or terminate a global security. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their debt securities in their own names or in “street name.” Debt securities held in street name are registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution chosen by the investor, and the investor would hold a beneficial interest in those debt securities through the account he or she maintains at that institution.

For debt securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the debt securities are registered as the holders of those debt securities and we will make all payments on those debt securities to them. These institutions will pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold debt securities in street name will be indirect holders, and not holders, of the debt securities.

Legal Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the applicable trustee and those of any third parties employed by us or the applicable trustee, run only to the legal holders of the debt securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect holder of a debt security or has no choice because we are issuing the debt securities only in book-entry form.

For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect holders but does not do so. Similarly, if we want to obtain the approval of the holders for any purpose (for example, to amend an indenture or to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture), we would seek the approval only from the holders, and not the indirect holders, of the debt securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect holders is up to the holders.

When we refer to you in this “Description of Our Debt Securities,” we mean those who invest in the debt securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect holders of those debt securities. When we refer to your debt securities, we mean the debt securities in which you hold a direct or indirect interest.

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, we urge you to check with that institution to find out:

•how it handles securities payments and notices;

•whether it imposes fees or charges;

•how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

•whether and how you can instruct it to send you debt securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future for a particular series of debt securities;

•how it would exercise rights under the debt securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

•if the debt securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

As noted above, we usually will issue debt securities as registered securities in book-entry form only. A global security represents one or any other number of individual debt securities. Generally, all debt securities represented by the same global securities will have the same terms.

Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution or its nominee that we select. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the depositary. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, will be the depositary for all debt securities issued in book-entry form.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “Special Situations when a Global Security Will Be Terminated.” As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all debt securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only beneficial interests in a global security. Beneficial interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that has an account with the depositary. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the debt security, but only an indirect holder of a beneficial interest in the global security.

Special Considerations for Global Securities

As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. The depositary that holds the global security will be considered the holder of the debt securities represented by the global security.

If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

•An investor cannot cause the debt securities to be registered in his or her name and cannot obtain certificates for his or her interest in the debt securities, except in the special situations we describe below.

•An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the debt securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the debt securities, as we describe under “Issuance of Securities in Registered Form” above.

•An investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt securities to some insurance companies and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form.

•An investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the debt securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective.

•The depositary’s policies, which may change from time to time, will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security. We and the trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s actions or for its records of ownership interests in a global security. We and the trustee also do not supervise the depositary in any way.

•If we redeem less than all the debt securities of a particular series being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount to be redeemed from each of its participants holding that series.

•An investor is required to give notice of exercise of any option to elect repayment of its debt securities, through its participant, to the applicable trustee and to deliver the related debt securities by causing its participant to transfer its interest in those debt securities, on DTC’s records, to the applicable trustee.

•DTC requires that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security deposited in its book-entry system use immediately available funds. Your broker or bank may also require you to use immediately available funds when purchasing or selling interests in a global security.

•Financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system, and through which an investor holds its interest in a global security, may also have their own policies affecting payments, notices and other matters relating to the debt securities. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We do not monitor and are not responsible for the actions of any of those intermediaries.

Special Situations when a Global Security will be Terminated

If a global security is terminated, interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-book-entry form (certificated securities). After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the certificated debt securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in a global security transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders. We have described the rights of legal holders and street name investors under “Issuance of Securities in Registered Form” above.

The prospectus supplement may list situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of debt securities covered by the prospectus supplement. If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and not we or the applicable trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the investors in whose names the debt securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the holders of those debt securities.

Payment and Paying Agents

We will pay interest (either in cash or by delivery of additional indenture securities, as applicable) to the person listed in the applicable trustee’s records as the owner of the debt security at the close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if that person no longer owns the debt security on the interest due date. That day, usually about two weeks in advance of the interest due date, is called the “record date.” Because we will pay all the interest for an interest period to the holders on the record date, holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between themselves the appropriate purchase price. The most common manner is to adjust the sales price of the debt securities to prorate interest fairly between buyer and seller based on their respective ownership periods within the particular interest period. This prorated interest amount is called “accrued interest.”

Payments on Global Securities

We will make payments on a global security in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary as in effect from time to time. Under those policies, we will make payments directly to the depositary, or its nominee, and not to any indirect holders who own beneficial interests in the global security. An indirect holder’s right to those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depositary and its participants, as described under “— Special Considerations for Global Securities.”

Payments on Certificated Securities

We will make payments on a certificated debt security as follows. We will pay interest that is due on an interest payment date to the holder of debt securities as shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date. We will make all payments of principal and premium, if any, by check at the office of the applicable trustee and/or at other offices that may be specified in the prospectus supplement or in a notice to holders against surrender of the debt security.

Alternatively, at our option, we may pay any cash interest that becomes due on the debt security by mailing a check to the holder at his or her address shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date or by transfer to an account at a bank in the United States, in either case, on the interest due date.

Payment When Offices Are Closed

If any payment is due on a debt security on a day that is not a business day, we will make the payment on the next day that is a business day. Payments made on the next business day in this situation will be treated under the indenture as if they were made on the original due date, except as otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Such payment will not result in a default under any debt security or the indenture, and no interest will accrue on the payment amount from the original due date to the next day that is a business day.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments on their debt securities.

Events of Default

You will have rights if an Event of Default occurs in respect of the debt securities of your series and is not cured, as described later in this subsection.

The term “Event of Default” in respect of the debt securities of your series means any of the following:

•We do not pay the principal of, or any premium on, a debt security of the series within five days of its due date;

•We do not pay interest on a debt security of the series within 30 days of its due date;

•We do not deposit any sinking fund payment in respect of debt securities of the series within five days of its due date;

•We remain in breach of a covenant in respect of debt securities of the series (other than breaches described elsewhere in this list) for 60 days after we receive a written notice of default stating we are in breach. The notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of outstanding debt securities of the series;

•We file for bankruptcy or certain other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur;

•Any series of debt securities issued under the indenture has an asset coverage, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, of less than 100 per centum on the last business day of each of twenty-four consecutive calendar months, giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to us by the SEC; or

•Any other Event of Default in respect of debt securities of the series described in the prospectus supplement occurs.

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under the same or any other indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default, except in the payment of principal, premium, interest or sinking or purchase fund installment, if it in good faith considers the withholding of notice to be in the interest of the holders.

Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs

If an Event of Default has occurred and has not been cured, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may (and the trustee shall at the request of such holders) declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be canceled by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series if (1) we have deposited with the trustee all amounts due and owing with respect to the securities (other than principal that has become due solely by reason of such acceleration) and certain other amounts, and (2) all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

Except in cases of default, where the trustee has some special duties, the trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable protection from expenses and liability (called an “indemnity”). If reasonable indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. The trustee may refuse to follow those directions in certain circumstances. No delay or omission in exercising any right or remedy will be treated as a waiver of that right, remedy or Event of Default.

Before you are allowed to bypass your trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the following must occur:

•You must give your trustee written notice that an Event of Default with respect to the relevant series of debt securities has occurred and remains uncured;

•The holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the relevant series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the default and must offer reasonable indemnity to the trustee against the cost and other liabilities of taking that action;

•The trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity; and

•The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series must not have given the trustee a direction inconsistent with the above notice during that 60-day period.

However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt securities on or after the due date.

Holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may waive any past defaults other than:

•in respect of the payment of principal, any premium or interest or

•in respect of a covenant that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and how to declare or cancel an acceleration of maturity.

Each year, we will furnish to each trustee a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities or else specifying any default.

Merger or Consolidation

Under the terms of the indenture, we are generally permitted to consolidate or merge with another entity. We are also permitted to sell all or substantially all of our assets to another entity. However, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met:

•Where we merge out of existence or sell our assets, the resulting or transferee entity must agree to be legally responsible for our obligations under the debt securities;

•The merger or sale of assets must not cause a default on the debt securities and we must not already be in default (unless the merger or sale would cure the default). For purposes of this no-default test, a default would include an Event of Default that has occurred and has not been cured, as described under “Events of Default” above. A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an Event of Default if the requirements for giving us a notice of default or our default having to exist for a specific period of time were disregarded;

•We must deliver certain certificates and documents to the trustee; and

•We must satisfy any other requirements specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities.

Modification or Waiver

There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities issued thereunder.

Changes Requiring Your Approval

First, there are changes that we cannot make to your debt securities without your specific approval. The following is a list of those types of changes:

•change the stated maturity of the principal of, or interest on, a debt security or the terms of any sinking fund with respect to any security;

•reduce any amounts due on a debt security;

•reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of an original issue discount or indexed security following a default or upon the redemption thereof or the amount thereof provable in a bankruptcy proceeding;

•adversely affect any right of repayment at the holder’s option;

•change the place (except as otherwise described in the prospectus or prospectus supplement) or currency of payment on a debt security;

•impair your right to sue for payment;

•adversely affect any right to convert or exchange a debt security in accordance with its terms;

•modify the subordination provisions in the indenture in a manner that is adverse to holders of the outstanding debt securities;

•reduce the percentage of holders of outstanding debt securities whose consent is needed to modify or amend the indenture;

•reduce the percentage of holders of outstanding debt securities whose consent is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or to waive certain defaults or reduce the percentage of holders of outstanding debt securities required to satisfy quorum or voting requirements at a meeting of holders;

•modify any other aspect of the provisions of the indenture dealing with supplemental indentures with the consent of holders, waiver of past defaults, or the waiver of certain covenants; and

•change any obligation we have to pay additional amounts.

Changes Not Requiring Approval

The second type of change does not require any vote by the holders of the debt securities. This type is limited to clarifications, establishment of the form or terms of new securities of any series as permitted by the indenture and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the outstanding debt securities in any material respect. We also do not need any approval to make any change that affects only debt securities to be issued under the indenture after the change takes effect.

Changes Requiring Majority Approval

Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities would require the following approval:

•If the change affects only one series of debt securities, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding that series.

•If the change affects more than one series of debt securities issued under the same indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount outstanding of all of the series affected by the change, with all affected series voting together as one class for this purpose.

In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of a series of debt securities issued under the indenture, voting together as one class for this purpose, may waive our compliance with some of our covenants applicable to that series of debt securities. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or of any of the matters covered by the bullet points included above under “— Changes Requiring Your Approval.”

Further Details Concerning Voting

When taking a vote, we will use the following rules to decide how much principal to attribute to a debt security:

•For original issue discount securities, we will use the principal amount that would be due and payable on the voting date if the maturity of these debt securities were accelerated to that date because of a default.

•For debt securities whose principal amount is not known (for example, because it is based on an index), we will use the principal face amount at original issuance or a special rule for that debt security described in the prospectus supplement.

•For debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent.

Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust money for their payment or redemption or if we, any other obligor, or any affiliate of us or any obligor own such debt securities. Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described later under “Defeasance — Full Defeasance.”

We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding indenture securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indenture. However, the record date may not be more than 30 days before the date of the first solicitation of holders to vote on or take such action. If we set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of one or more series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding indenture securities of those series on the record date and must be taken within eleven months following the record date.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change the indenture or the debt securities or request a waiver.

Defeasance

The following provisions will be applicable to each series of debt securities unless we state in the applicable prospectus supplement that the provisions of covenant defeasance and full defeasance will not be applicable to that series.

Covenant Defeasance

Under current U.S. federal tax law and the indenture, we can make the deposit described below and be released from some of the restrictive covenants in the indenture under which the particular series was issued. This is called “covenant defeasance.” In that event, you would lose the protection of those restrictive covenants but would gain the protection of having money and government securities set aside in trust to repay your debt securities. If we achieved covenant defeasance and your debt securities were subordinated as described under “Indenture Provisions — Subordination” below, such subordination would not prevent the Trustee from applying due funds available to it from the deposit described in the first bullet below to the payment of amounts in respect of such debt securities. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following:

•We must irrevocably deposit in trust for the benefit of all holders of a series of debt securities a combination of cash (in such currency in which such securities are then specified as payable at stated maturity) or government obligations applicable to such securities (determined on the basis of the currency in which such securities are then specified as payable at stated maturity) that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments on the debt securities on their various due dates and any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments.

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that, under current U.S. federal income tax law, we may make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit.

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to covenant defeasance have been complied with.

•Defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or result in a default under, the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments.

•No default or event of default with respect to such debt securities shall have occurred and be continuing and no defaults or events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization shall occur during the next 90 days.

•Satisfy the conditions for covenant defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit or the trustee is prevented from making payment. For example, if one of the remaining Events of Default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities became immediately due and payable, there might be such a shortfall. However, there is no assurance that we would have sufficient funds to make payment of the shortfall.

Full Defeasance

If there is a change in U.S. federal tax law or we obtain an IRS ruling, as described below, we can legally release ourselves from all payment and other obligations on the debt securities of a particular series (called “full defeasance”) if we put in place the following other arrangements for you to be repaid:

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion confirming that there has been a change in current U.S. federal tax law or an IRS ruling that allows us to make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit. Under current U.S. federal tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the debt securities would be treated as though we paid you your share of the cash and notes or bonds at the time the cash and notes or bonds were deposited in trust in exchange for your debt securities and you would recognize gain or loss on the debt securities at the time of the deposit.

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to defeasance have been complied with.

•Defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments.

•Satisfy the conditions for full defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

If we ever did accomplish full defeasance, as described above, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the unlikely event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and other creditors if we ever became bankrupt or insolvent. If your debt securities were subordinated as described below under “Indenture Provisions — Subordination,” such subordination would not prevent the Trustee from applying the funds available to it from the deposit referred to in the first bullet of the preceding paragraph to the payment of amounts due in respect of such debt securities.

Form, Exchange and Transfer of Certificated Registered Securities

If registered debt securities cease to be issued in book-entry form, they will be issued:

•only in fully registered certificated form,

•without interest coupons, and

•unless we indicate otherwise in the prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and amounts that are multiples of $1,000.

Holders may exchange their certificated securities for debt securities of smaller denominations or combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed and as long as the denomination of each resulting debt security is greater than the minimum denomination for such securities.

Holders may exchange or transfer their certificated securities at the office of the trustee. We have appointed the trustee to act as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders transferring debt securities. We may appoint another entity to perform these functions or perform them ourselves.

Holders will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange their certificated securities, but they may be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge associated with the transfer or exchange. The transfer or exchange will be made only if our transfer agent is satisfied with the holder’s proof of legal ownership.

If we have designated additional transfer agents for your debt security, they will be named in your prospectus supplement. We may appoint additional transfer agents or cancel the appointment of any particular transfer agent. We may also approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts.

If any certificated securities of a particular series are redeemable and we redeem less than all the debt securities of that series, we may block the transfer or exchange of those debt securities during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of any certificated securities selected for redemption, except that we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security that will be partially redeemed.

If a registered debt security is issued in book-entry form, only the depositary will be entitled to transfer and exchange the debt security as described in this subsection, since it will be the sole holder of the debt security.

Resignation of Trustee

Each trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of indenture securities provided that a successor trustee is appointed to act with respect to these series and has accepted such appointment. In the event that two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of indenture securities under the indenture, each of the trustees will be a trustee of a trust separate and apart from the trust administered by any other trustee.

Indenture Provisions — Subordination

Upon any distribution of our assets upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on any indenture securities denominated as subordinated debt securities is to be subordinated to the extent provided in the indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Designated Senior Indebtedness (as defined below), but our obligation to you to make payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on such subordinated debt securities will not otherwise be affected. In addition, no payment on account of principal (or premium, if any), sinking fund or interest, if any, may be made on such subordinated debt securities at any time unless full payment of all amounts due in respect of the principal (and premium, if any), sinking fund and interest on Designated Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for in money or money’s worth.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment by us is received by the trustee in respect of subordinated debt securities or by the holders of any of such subordinated debt securities, upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization before all Designated Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, the payment or distribution must be paid over to the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness or on their behalf for application to the payment of all the Designated Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all the Designated Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness. Subject to the payment in full of all Designated Senior Indebtedness upon this distribution by us, the holders of such subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness to the extent of payments made to the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness out of the distributive share of such subordinated debt securities.

By reason of this subordination, in the event of a distribution of our assets upon our insolvency, certain of our senior creditors may recover more, ratably, than holders of any subordinated debt securities or the holders of any indenture securities that are not Designated Senior Indebtedness. The indenture provides that these subordination provisions will not apply to money and securities held in trust under the defeasance provisions of the indenture.

Designated Senior Indebtedness is defined in the indenture as the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and unpaid interest on:

•our indebtedness (including indebtedness of others guaranteed by us), whenever created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, for money borrowed, that we have designated as “Designated Senior Indebtedness” for purposes of the indenture and in accordance with the terms of the indenture (including any indenture securities designated as Designated Senior Indebtedness), and

•renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any of this indebtedness.

If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with the offering of a series of indenture securities denominated as subordinated debt securities, the accompanying prospectus supplement will set forth the approximate amount of our Designated Senior Indebtedness and of our other indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date.

Secured Indebtedness

Certain of our indebtedness, including certain series of indenture securities, may be secured. The prospectus supplement for each series of indenture securities will describe the terms of any security interest for such series and will indicate the approximate amount of our secured indebtedness as of a recent date. In the event of a distribution of our assets upon our insolvency, the holders of unsecured indenture securities may recover less, ratably, than holders of any of our secured indebtedness.

The Trustee under the Indenture

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. will serve as the trustee under the indenture.

Certain Considerations Relating to Foreign Currencies

Debt securities denominated or payable in foreign currencies may entail significant risks. These risks include the possibility of significant fluctuations in the foreign currency markets, the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls and potential illiquidity in the secondary market. These risks will vary depending upon the currency or currencies involved and will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Long Term Debt, Structuring [Text Block]

The prospectus supplement, which will accompany this prospectus, will describe the particular series of debt securities being offered including:

•the designation or title of the series of debt securities;

•the total principal amount of the series of debt securities;

•the percentage of the principal amount at which the series of debt securities will be offered;

•the date or dates on which principal will be payable;

•the rate or rates (which may be either fixed or variable) and/or the method of determining such rate or rates of interest, if any;

•the date or dates from which any interest will accrue, or the method of determining such date or dates, and the date or dates on which any interest will be payable;

•whether any interest may be paid by issuing additional securities of the same series in lieu of cash (and the terms upon which any such interest may be paid by issuing additional securities);

•the terms for redemption, extension or early repayment, if any;

•the currencies in which the series of debt securities are issued and payable;

•the place or places of payment, transfer, conversion and/or exchange of the debt securities;

•the denominations in which the offered debt securities will be issued (if other than $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof);

•the provision for any sinking fund;

•any restrictive covenants;

•any Events of Default;

•whether the series of debt securities are issuable in certificated form;

•any provisions for defeasance or covenant defeasance;

•any special U.S. federal income tax implications, including, if applicable, U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to original issue discount;

•any provisions for convertibility or exchangeability of the debt securities into or for any other securities;

•whether the debt securities are subject to subordination and the terms of such subordination;

•whether the debt securities are secured and the terms of any security interests;

•the listing, if any, of the debt securities on a securities exchange; and

•any other terms of the debt securities.

General

The indenture does not contain any provisions that give you protection in the event we issue a large amount of debt or we are acquired by another entity.

Conversion and Exchange

Issuance of Securities in Registered Form

Book-Entry Holders

Street Name Holders

Legal Holders

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, we urge you to check with that institution to find out:

•how it handles securities payments and notices;

•whether it imposes fees or charges;

•how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

•whether and how you can instruct it to send you debt securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future for a particular series of debt securities;

•how it would exercise rights under the debt securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

•if the debt securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

Special Considerations for Global Securities

If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

•An investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt securities to some insurance companies and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form.

Special Situations when a Global Security will be Terminated

Payment and Paying Agents

Payments on Global Securities

Payments on Certificated Securities

Payment When Offices Are Closed

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments on their debt securities.

Events of Default

You will have rights if an Event of Default occurs in respect of the debt securities of your series and is not cured, as described later in this subsection.

The term “Event of Default” in respect of the debt securities of your series means any of the following:

•We do not pay the principal of, or any premium on, a debt security of the series within five days of its due date;

•We do not pay interest on a debt security of the series within 30 days of its due date;

•We do not deposit any sinking fund payment in respect of debt securities of the series within five days of its due date;

•We file for bankruptcy or certain other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur;

•Any other Event of Default in respect of debt securities of the series described in the prospectus supplement occurs.

Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs

•You must give your trustee written notice that an Event of Default with respect to the relevant series of debt securities has occurred and remains uncured;

•The trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity; and

However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt securities on or after the due date.

Holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may waive any past defaults other than:

•in respect of the payment of principal, any premium or interest or

•in respect of a covenant that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder.

Merger or Consolidation

•Where we merge out of existence or sell our assets, the resulting or transferee entity must agree to be legally responsible for our obligations under the debt securities;

•We must deliver certain certificates and documents to the trustee; and

•We must satisfy any other requirements specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities.

Modification or Waiver

There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities issued thereunder.

Changes Requiring Your Approval

First, there are changes that we cannot make to your debt securities without your specific approval. The following is a list of those types of changes:

•change the stated maturity of the principal of, or interest on, a debt security or the terms of any sinking fund with respect to any security;

•reduce any amounts due on a debt security;

•adversely affect any right of repayment at the holder’s option;

•change the place (except as otherwise described in the prospectus or prospectus supplement) or currency of payment on a debt security;

•impair your right to sue for payment;

•adversely affect any right to convert or exchange a debt security in accordance with its terms;

•modify the subordination provisions in the indenture in a manner that is adverse to holders of the outstanding debt securities;

•reduce the percentage of holders of outstanding debt securities whose consent is needed to modify or amend the indenture;

•modify any other aspect of the provisions of the indenture dealing with supplemental indentures with the consent of holders, waiver of past defaults, or the waiver of certain covenants; and

•change any obligation we have to pay additional amounts.

Changes Not Requiring Approval

Changes Requiring Majority Approval

Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities would require the following approval:

•If the change affects only one series of debt securities, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding that series.

In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent.

Further Details Concerning Voting

When taking a vote, we will use the following rules to decide how much principal to attribute to a debt security:

•For debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent.

Defeasance

Covenant Defeasance

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to covenant defeasance have been complied with.

•Defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or result in a default under, the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments.

•Satisfy the conditions for covenant defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

Full Defeasance

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to defeasance have been complied with.

•Defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments.

•Satisfy the conditions for full defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

Form, Exchange and Transfer of Certificated Registered Securities

If registered debt securities cease to be issued in book-entry form, they will be issued:

•only in fully registered certificated form,

•without interest coupons, and

•unless we indicate otherwise in the prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and amounts that are multiples of $1,000.

Resignation of Trustee

Indenture Provisions — Subordination

Designated Senior Indebtedness is defined in the indenture as the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and unpaid interest on:

•renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any of this indebtedness.

Secured Indebtedness

The Trustee under the Indenture

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. will serve as the trustee under the indenture.

Certain Considerations Relating to Foreign Currencies

Long Term Debt, Dividends and Covenants [Text Block]

Defeasance

Covenant Defeasance

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to covenant defeasance have been complied with.

•Defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or result in a default under, the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments.

•Satisfy the conditions for covenant defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

Full Defeasance

•We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel and officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to defeasance have been complied with.

•Defeasance must not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the indenture or any of our other material agreements or instruments.

•Satisfy the conditions for full defeasance contained in any supplemental indentures.

Long Term Debt, Issuance and Substitution [Text Block]

Issuance of Securities in Registered Form

Book-Entry Holders

Street Name Holders

Legal Holders

Special Considerations for Indirect Holders

If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, we urge you to check with that institution to find out:

•how it handles securities payments and notices;

•whether it imposes fees or charges;

•how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

•whether and how you can instruct it to send you debt securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future for a particular series of debt securities;

•how it would exercise rights under the debt securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

•if the debt securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

Global Securities

Special Considerations for Global Securities

If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

•An investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt securities to some insurance companies and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form.

Special Situations when a Global Security will be Terminated

Other Securities [Table Text Block]

DESCRIPTION OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

We may issue subscription rights to our stockholders to purchase common stock. Subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other offered security and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the subscription rights. In connection with any subscription rights offering to our stockholders, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other persons would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such subscription rights offering. In connection with a subscription rights offering to our stockholders, we would distribute certificates evidencing the subscription rights and a prospectus supplement to our stockholders on the record date that we set for receiving subscription rights in such subscription rights offering. Our common stockholders will indirectly bear the expenses of such subscription rights offerings, regardless of whether our common stockholders exercise any subscription rights.

The applicable prospectus supplement would describe the following terms of subscription rights in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

•the period of time the offering would remain open (which shall be open a minimum number of days such that all record holders would be eligible to participate in the offering and shall not be open longer than 120 days);

•the title of such subscription rights;

•the exercise price or a formula for the determination of the exercise price for such subscription rights;

•the number or a formula for the determination of the number of such subscription rights issued to each stockholder;

•the extent to which such subscription rights are transferable;

•if applicable, a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the issuance or exercise of such subscription rights;

•the date on which the right to exercise such subscription rights would commence, and the date on which such rights shall expire (subject to any extension);

•the extent to which such subscription rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities;

•if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or other purchase arrangement that we may enter into in connection with the subscription rights offering; and

•any other terms of such subscription rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such subscription rights.

Exercise of Subscription Rights

Each subscription right would entitle the holder of the subscription right to purchase for cash such amount of shares of common stock or other securities at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby or another report filed with the SEC. Subscription rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for such subscription rights set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised subscription rights would become void. We have not previously completed such an offering of subscription rights.

Subscription rights may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the subscription rights offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the subscription rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the subscription rights agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will forward, as soon as practicable, the shares of common stock purchasable upon such exercise. We may determine to offer any unsubscribed offered securities directly to stockholders, persons other than stockholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby underwriting or other arrangements, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Outstanding Securities [Table Text Block]


(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Title of Class	Amount Authorized	Amount Held by us or for Our Account	Amount Outstanding Exclusive of Amounts Shown Under (3)
Common Stock	150,000,000	—	88,556,229

General Description of Registrant [Abstract]

Risk [Text Block]