UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of 

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 30, 2021 (March 29, 2021)

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF AMERICA 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 588-6770

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging Growth Company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None.

Notes Offering

On March 29, 2021, Business Development Corporation of America (the “Company”) and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Trustee”) entered into an Indenture (the “Base Indenture”) and a Supplemental Indenture to the Base Indenture (the “First Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The First Supplemental Indenture relates to the Company’s issuance of $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 3.250% notes due 2026 (the “Notes”).

The Notes will mature on March 30, 2026 and may be redeemed in whole or in part at the Company’s option at any time or from time to time at the redemption prices set forth in the Indenture. The Notes bear interest at a rate of 3.250% per year payable semi-annually on March 30 and September 30 of each year, commencing on September 30, 2021. The Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Company that rank senior in right of payment to all of the Company’s existing and future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, rank pari passu with all existing and future unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness issued by the Company, rank effectively junior to any of the Company’s secured indebtedness (including unsecured indebtedness that the Company later secures) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness, and rank structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by the Company’s subsidiaries, financing vehicles or similar facilities.

The Indenture contains certain covenants, including covenants requiring the Company to comply with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18(a)(1)(A) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) and (2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, whether or not it is subject to those requirements, and to provide financial information to the holders of the Notes and the Trustee if the Company is no longer subject to the reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These covenants are subject to important limitations and exceptions that are described in the Indenture.

In addition, on the occurrence of a “change of control repurchase event,” as defined in the Indenture, the Company will generally be required to make an offer to purchase the outstanding Notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to the repurchase date.

The foregoing description of the Indenture does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Indenture, filed as an exhibit hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

The Notes were offered to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and to certain non-U.S. persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act (the “Notes Offering”). The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. The Notes Offering closed on March 29, 2021. The net proceeds to the Company were approximately $296.0 million, after deducting the initial purchaser discount and estimated offering expenses. The Company expects to use the net proceeds of the Notes Offering to repay its secured credit facilities and for general corporate purposes.

Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with the Notes Offering, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 29, 2021 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as the representatives of the initial purchasers of the Notes. Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company is obligated to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement relating Company to an offer to exchange the Notes for new notes issued by the Company that are registered under the Securities Act and otherwise have terms substantially identical to those of the Notes, and to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective. If the Company is not able to effect the exchange offer, the Company will be obligated to file a shelf registration statement covering the resale of the Notes and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective. If the Company fails to satisfy its registration obligations by certain dates specified in the Registration Rights Agreement, it will be required to pay additional interest to the holders of the Notes.

The foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, filed as an exhibit hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

The information required by Item 2.03 contained in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.