Business description of OXFORD-SQUARE-CAPITAL-CORP from last 10-k form
Oxford Square Capital Corp. (“OXSQ,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). We have elected to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) beginning with our 2003 taxable year. Our investment objective is to maximize our portfolio’s total return. Our primary current focus is to seek an attractive risk-adjusted total return by investing primarily in corporate debt securities and collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”) structured finance investments that own corporate debt securities. CLO investments may also include warehouse facilities, which are early-stage CLO vehicles intended to aggregate loans that may be used to form the basis of a traditional CLO vehicle. We may also invest in publicly traded debt and/or equity securities. As a BDC, we may not acquire any asset other than “qualifying assets” unless, at the time we make the acquisition, the value of our qualifying assets represents at least 70% of the value of our total assets.
Our capital is generally used by our corporate borrowers to finance organic growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and working capital. Our investment decisions are based on extensive analysis of potential portfolio companies’ business operations supported by an in-depth understanding of the quality of their recurring revenues and cash flow, variability of costs and the inherent value of their assets, including proprietary intangible assets and intellectual property. In making our CLO investments, we consider the indenture structure for that vehicle, its operating characteristics and compliance with its various indenture provisions, as well as its corporate loan-based collateral pool.
We generally expect to invest between $5.0 million and $50.0 million in each of our portfolio investments, although this investment size may vary as the size of our capital base changes and market conditions warrant. We invest in both fixed and variable interest rate structures. We expect that our investment portfolio will be diversified among a large number of investments with few investments, if any, exceeding 5% of the total portfolio.
The structures of our investments will vary and we seek to invest across a wide range of different industries. We seek to invest in entities that, as a general matter, have been operating for at least one year prior to the date of our investment and that will, at the time of our investment, have employees and revenues, and which are cash flow positive. Many of these companies are expected to have financial backing provided by other financial or strategic sponsors at the time we make an investment. The portfolio companies in which we invest, however, will generally be considered below investment grade, and their debt securities may in turn be referred to as “junk.” A portion of our investment portfolio may consist of debt investments for which issuers are not required to make significant principal payments until the maturity of the senior loans, which could result in a substantial loss to us if such issuers are unable to refinance or repay their debt at maturity. In addition, many of the debt securities we hold typically contain interest reset provisions that may make it more difficult for a borrower to repay the loan, heightening the risk that we may lose all or part of our investment.
We also purchase portions of equity and junior debt tranches of CLO vehicles. Substantially all of the CLO vehicles in which we may invest would be deemed to be investment companies under the 1940 Act but for the exceptions set forth in section 3(c)(1) or section 3(c)(7). Other than CLO vehicles, we do not intend to invest, and we would be limited to 15% of our net assets if we did invest, in any types of entities that rely on the exceptions set forth in section 3(c)(1) or section 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act. Structurally, CLO vehicles are entities that are formed to originate and or acquire a portfolio of loans. The loans within the CLO vehicle are limited to loans which meet established credit criteria and are subject to concentration limitations in order to limit a CLO vehicle’s exposure to a single credit. A CLO vehicle is formed by raising various classes or “tranches” of debt (with the most senior tranches being rated “AAA” to the most junior tranches typically being rated “BB” or “B”) and equity. The tranches of CLO vehicles rated “BB” or “B” may be referred to as “junk.” The equity of a CLO vehicle is generally required to absorb the CLO’s losses before any of the CLO’s other tranches, yet it also has the lowest level of payment priority among the CLO’s tranches; therefore, the equity is typically the riskiest of CLO investments which, if it were rated, may also be referred to as “junk.” We primarily focus on investing in the junior tranches and the equity of CLO vehicles. The CLO vehicles which we focus on are collateralized primarily by senior secured loans made to companies whose debt is unrated or is rated below investment grade, and generally
have very little or no direct exposure to real estate, mortgage loans or to pools of consumer-based debt, such as credit card receivables or auto loans. However, there can be no assurance that the collateral securing such senior secured loans would satisfy all of the unpaid principal and interest of our investment in the CLO vehicle in the event of default and the junior tranches, especially the equity tranches, of CLO vehicles are the last tranches to be paid, if at all, in the event of a default. Our investment strategy may also include warehouse facilities, which are early stage CLO vehicles intended to aggregate loans that may be used to form the basis of a traditional CLO vehicle.
We have historically borrowed funds to make investments and may continue to do so. As a result, we are exposed to the risks of leverage, which may be considered a speculative investment technique. Borrowings, also known as leverage, magnify the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and therefore increase the risks associated with investing in our securities. In addition, the costs associated with our borrowings, including any increase in the advisory fee payable to our investment adviser, Oxford Square Management, LLC (“Oxford Square Management”), will be borne by our common stockholders.
6.50% Unsecured Notes
On April 12, 2017, we completed an underwritten public offering of approximately $64.4 million in aggregate principal amount of our 6.50% unsecured notes due 2024, or the “6.50% Unsecured Notes.” The 6.50% Unsecured Notes will mature on March 30, 2024, and may currently be redeemed in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at our option (on or after March 30, 2020). The 6.50% Unsecured Notes bear interest at a rate of 6.50% per year payable quarterly on March 30, June 30, September 30, and December 30 of each year. The 6.50% Unsecured Notes are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol “OXSQL.”
6.25% Unsecured Notes
On April 3, 2019, we completed an underwritten public offering of approximately $44.8 million in aggregate principal amount of our 6.25% unsecured notes due 2026, or the “6.25% Unsecured Notes.” The 6.25% Unsecured Notes will mature on April 30, 2026, and may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at our option (on or after April 30, 2022). The 6.25% Unsecured Notes bear interest at a rate of 6.25% per year payable quarterly on January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31 of each year. The 6.25% Unsecured Notes are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol “OXSQZ.”
5.50% Unsecured Notes
On May 20, 2021, we completed an underwritten public offering of approximately $80.5 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.50% unsecured notes due 2028, or the “5.50% Unsecured Notes.” The 5.50% Unsecured Notes will mature on July 31, 2028, and may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at our option (on or after May 31, 2024). The 5.50% Unsecured Notes bear interest at a rate of 5.50% per year payable quarterly on January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31, of each year. The 5.50% Unsecured Notes are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol “OXSQG.”
ATM Offering
On August 1, 2019, we entered into an Equity Distribution Agreement with Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. through which we may offer for sale, from time to time, up to $150.0 million of our common stock through an At-the-Market (“ATM”) offering. We did not sell any shares of common stock pursuant to the ATM during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Organizational and Regulatory Structure
Our investment activities are managed by Oxford Square Management. Oxford Square Management is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). Oxford Square Management is owned by Oxford Funds, LLC (“Oxford Funds”), its managing member, and Charles M. Royce, a member of our Board of Directors (the “Board”) who holds a minority, non-controlling interest in Oxford Square Management. Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, and Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, directly or indirectly own or control all of the outstanding equity interests
of Oxford Funds. Under the investment advisory agreement, we have agreed to pay Oxford Square Management an annual base advisory fee based on our gross assets as well as an incentive fee based on our performance. Refer to “— Investment Advisory Agreement”.
We were founded in July 2003 and completed an initial public offering of shares of our common stock in November 2003. We are a Maryland corporation and a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a BDC under the 1940 Act. As a BDC, we are required to meet certain regulatory tests, including the requirement to invest at least 70% of our total assets in eligible portfolio companies. Refer to “— Regulation as a Business Development Company.” In addition, we have elected to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and intend to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
Set forth below is a chart detailing our organizational structure.
Our headquarters are located at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, Connecticut and our telephone number is (203) 983-5275.
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). This information is available on our website at
http://oxfordsquarecapital.com/
. The information we file with the SEC is available free of charge by contacting us at 8 Sound Shore Drive, Suite 255, Greenwich, CT 06830 or by telephone at (203) 983-5275. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s website ishttp://www.sec.gov
. Information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website about us is not incorporated into this report and you should not consider information contained on our website or on the SEC’s website to be part of this report.MARKET OVERVIEW AND OPPORTUNITY
The broader corporate loan and CLO equity markets were volatile in 2022. Significant weakness during the first half of 2022 was followed by a small improvement during the second half of 2022. During the first half of 2022, the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index decreased from a price of 98.64% at the end of December 2021 to 92.16% at the end of June 2022. During this period, lower credit quality loans underperformed higher credit quality loans. The S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index ended the year at a price of 92.44%, with lower credit quality loans continuing to underperform higher credit quality loans during the second half of 2022. For the full year, BB rated loan prices decreased 1.66%, B rated loan prices decreased 6.58%, and CCC rated loan prices decreased 19.01%. We believe that the loan market’s performance during 2022 was driven by macroeconomic uncertainty as well as significant investment outflows from the loan and CLO asset classes. Moreover, loan market credit quality deteriorated during 2022 as exhibited by an increase in default rates to 0.72% at the end of 2022 versus 0.29% at the end of 2021. This environment presented corporate loan and CLO managers with the opportunity to buy performing assets in the primary and secondary loan markets with sufficient risk adjusted returns, ultimately accruing to the benefit of loan and CLO investments. Additionally, as we execute our corporate loan strategy of focusing primarily on small to medium size broadly syndicated loans, narrowly syndicated loans and private deals, through purchases in both the primary and secondary markets, we remain mindful of maintaining overall portfolio liquidity. We believe this strategy allows us to maintain corporate debt investments which have sufficient liquidity in order to take advantage of market opportunities.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
We believe that we are well positioned to provide financing to corporate borrowers and structured finance vehicles that, in turn, provide capital to corporate borrowers for the following reasons:
• Expertise in credit analysis and monitoring investments; and
• Established transaction sourcing network.
Expertise in credit analysis and monitoring investments
While our investment focus is on middle-market companies, we have invested, and in the future will likely continue to invest, in larger and smaller companies and in other investment structures on an opportunistic basis, including CLO investment vehicles. We believe our experience in analyzing middle-market companies and CLO investment structures, as detailed in the biographies of Oxford Square Management’s senior investment professionals, affords us a sustainable competitive advantage over lenders with limited experience in investing in these markets. In particular, we have expertise in evaluating the investment merits of middle-market companies as well as the structural features of CLO investments, and monitoring the credit risk of such investments after closing until full repayment.
• Jonathan H. Cohen, our Chief Executive Officer, has more than 25 years of experience in debt and equity research and investment. Mr. Cohen has also served as Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS: OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as Chief Executive Officer of its investment adviser, Oxford Lane Management, LLC, or “Oxford Lane Management,” since 2010. Since 2015 and 2018, respectively, Mr. Cohen has also served as Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Gate Management, LLC, or “Oxford Gate Management,” the investment adviser to Oxford Gate Master Fund, LLC, Oxford Gate, LLC and Oxford Gate (Bermuda), LLC (collectively, the “Oxford Gate Funds”), and Oxford Bridge II, LLC. Oxford Bridge II, LLC and the Oxford Gate Funds are private investment funds. Previously, Mr. Cohen managed technology equity research groups at Wit Capital, Merrill Lynch, UBS and Smith Barney. Mr. Cohen is a member of the Board of Trustees of Connecticut College. Mr. Cohen received a B.A. in Economics from Connecticut College and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.
• Saul B. Rosenthal, our President and Chief Operating Officer, has more than 20 years of experience in the capital markets, with a focus on middle-market transactions. In addition, Mr. Rosenthal has served as President and a Director of Oxford Lane Capital Corp. (NasdaqGS: OXLC), a registered closed-end fund, and as President of Oxford Lane Management, since 2010. Mr. Rosenthal has also served as President of Oxford Gate Management, the investment adviser to the Oxford Gate Funds and Oxford Bridge II, LLC, since 2015 and 2018, respectively. Mr. Rosenthal was previously an attorney at the law firm of Shearman & Sterling LLP. Mr. Rosenthal serves on the board of the National Museum of Mathematics. Mr. Rosenthal received a B.S., magna cum laude, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a J.D. from Columbia University Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and a LL.M. (Taxation) from New York University School of Law.
• Joseph Kupka is a Managing Director of Oxford Square Management, and also holds the same position at Oxford Lane Management, the investment adviser to Oxford Lane Capital Corp. and Oxford Gate Management, LLC, the investment adviser to the Oxford Gate Funds and Oxford Bridge II, LLC. Previously, he worked as a risk analyst for First Equity Card Corporation. Mr. Kupka received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was the Abel and Bernstein Class of 1945 Scholarship Recipient.
• Kevin Yonon is a Managing Director of Oxford Square Management, and also holds the same position at Oxford Lane Management, the investment adviser to Oxford Lane Capital Corp., and Oxford Gate Management, the investment adviser to the Oxford Gate Funds and Oxford Bridge II, LLC. Previously, Mr. Yonon was an Associate at Deutsche Bank Securities and prior to that he was an Analyst at Blackstone Mezzanine Partners. Before joining Blackstone, he worked as an Analyst at Merrill Lynch in the Mergers & Acquisitions group. Mr. Yonon received a B.S. in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Accounting from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated magna cum laude, and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.