As with any fund investment, loss of money is a risk of investing. The risks associated with an investment in the Trust can increase during times of significant market volatility. The principal risks of investing in the Trust are:

The market values of the Trust’s investments, and therefore the value of the Trust’s shares, will go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry or section of the economy, or it may affect the market as a whole. The value of the Trust’s investments may go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to the particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for revenues or corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, regional or global instability and uncertainty, or adverse investor sentiment generally. The value of the Trust’s investments may also go up or down due to factors that affect an individual issuer or a particular industry or sector, such as changes in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, economies and financial markets throughout the world have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or country will adversely affect markets or issuers in other regions or countries. Natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, changes in trade regulation, including tariffs or economic sanctions, economic crisis or other events may have a significant impact on the value of the Trust’s investments, as well as the financial markets and global economy generally. Such circumstances may also impact the ability to effectively implement the Trust’s investment strategy. During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that specific investments held by the Trust will rise in value.

Increasingly strained relations between the U.S. and foreign countries may adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as issuers. A decrease in U.S. imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, including the imposition of tariffs or other economic sanctions on traditional allies or adversaries and their responses thereto, inflation, and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy, global financial markets as a whole and the securities to which the Trust has exposure. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative actions in the U.S. may impact many aspects of financial and other regulations and may have a significant effect, including potentially adversely, on U.S. markets generally and the value of certain securities. The continued maintenance of elevated debt levels by the U.S. government as projected by governmental agencies and organizations, or the imposition of U.S. austerity measures, could potentially constrain future economic growth and the ability to effectively

respond to economic downturns. If these trends were to continue, they could adversely impact the U.S. economy, global financial markets as a whole and the securities in which the Trust invests.

There are a number of risks associated with an investment in Senior Loans including credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, valuation risk and prepayment risk. These risks are typically associated with debt securities but may be heightened in part because of the limited public information regarding Senior Loans. Senior Loans generally are floating rate loans, which are subject to interest rate risk as the interest paid on the floating rate loans adjusts periodically based on changes in widely accepted reference rates. Lack of an active trading market, restrictions on resale, irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods may impair the Trust’s ability to sell Senior Loans within its desired time frame or at an acceptable price and its ability to accurately value existing and prospective investments. Extended trade settlement periods may result in cash not being immediately available to the Trust. As a result, the Trust may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions to raise cash to meet its obligations. The risk of holding Senior Loans is also directly tied to the risk of insolvency or bankruptcy of the issuing banks. The value of Senior Loans can be affected by, and is sensitive to, changes in government regulation and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad. These risks could cause the Trust to lose income or principal on a particular investment, which in turn could affect the Trust’s returns. Newly originated loans (including reissuances and restructured loans) may possess lower levels of credit document protections than has historically been the case. Accordingly, in the event of default the Trust may experience lower levels of recoveries than has historically been the norm.

In addition to the risks typically associated with debt securities, senior loans are also subject to the risk that a court could subordinate a senior loan, which typically holds a senior position in the capital structure of a borrower, to presently existing or future indebtedness or take other action detrimental to the holders of senior loans. Loans usually have mandatory and optional prepayment provisions. If a

borrower prepays a loan, the Trust will have to reinvest the proceeds in other loans or financial assets that may pay lower rates of return.

Loans are subject to the risk that the value of the collateral, if any, securing a loan may decline, be insufficient to meet the obligations of the borrower, or be difficult to liquidate or take possession of. In the event of a default, the Trust may have difficulty collecting on any collateral and would not have the ability to collect on any collateral for an uncollateralized loan. In addition, the lenders’ security interest or their enforcement of their security under the loan agreement may be found by a court to be invalid or the collateral may be used to pay other outstanding obligations of the borrower. The Trust’s access to collateral, if any, may be limited by bankruptcy, other insolvency laws, or by the type of loan the Trust has purchased. As a result, a collateralized loan may not be fully collateralized and can decline significantly in value.Loan investments are often issued in connection with highly leveraged transactions. Such transactions include leveraged buyout loans, leveraged recapitalization loans, and other types of acquisition financing. These obligations are subject to greater credit risks than other investments including a greater possibility that the borrower may default or enter bankruptcy. Highly leveraged loans also may be less liquid than other loans. If the Trust voluntarily or involuntarily sold those types of loans, it might not receive the full value it expected.

Due to restrictions on transfers in loan agreements and the nature of the private syndication of loans including, for example, the lack of publicly-available information, some loans are not as easily purchased or sold as publicly-traded securities. Some loans are illiquid, which may make it difficult for the Trust to value them or dispose of them at an acceptable price when it wants to. Additionally, valuation of Senior Loans may require greater research due to limited public information available and elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation since there may be a lack of objective data available. The market price of investments in floating rate loans is expected to be less affected by changes in interest rates than fixed-rate investments because floating rate loans pay a floating rate of interest that will fluctuate as market interest rates do and therefore should more closely track market movements in interest rates.Direct investments in loans and, to a lesser degree, investments in participation interests in or assignments of loans may be limited. A limited availability of loans could reduce the amount of attractive investments for the Trust. If market demand for loans increases, the interest paid by loans that the Trust holds may decrease. Due to the possible limited availability of loans in the market at a given time in which the Trust can invest, there is a that the Trust may not be able to invest a sufficient amount in loans at all times to meet its 80% asset investment requirement (including borrowings for investment purposes).

Compared to securities and to certain other types of financial assets, purchases and sales of loans take relatively longer to settle. This extended settlement process can (i) increase the counterparty credit risk borne by the Trust; (ii) leave the Trust unable to timely vote, or otherwise act with respect to, loans it has agreed to purchase; (iii) delay the Trust from realizing the proceeds of a sale of a loan; (iv) inhibit the Trust’s ability to a loan that it has agreed to purchase if conditions change (leaving the Trust

more exposed to price fluctuations); (v) prevent the Trust from timely collecting principal and interest payments; and (vi) expose the Trust to adverse tax or regulatory consequences.

If the Trust invests in a loan via a participation, the Trust will be exposed to the ongoing counterparty risk of the entity providing exposure to the loan (and, in certain circumstances, such entity’s credit risk) in addition to the exposure the Trust has to the creditworthiness of the borrower. The terms of the participation may not entitle the Trust to all rights of a direct lender under the loan (for example, with respect to consent, voting or enforcement rights). Therefore, the Trust’s rights under a participation interest for a particular loan may be more limited than the rights of the original lender or an investor who acquires an assignment of that loan. Where the Trust invests in a loan via a participation, the Trust generally will have no right of direct recourse against the borrower or ability to otherwise directly enforce the terms of the loan agreement.

In certain circumstances, loans may not be deemed to be securities, and in the event of fraud or misrepresentation by a borrower or an arranger, lenders will not have the protection of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, as would be the case for bonds or stocks. Instead, in such cases, lenders generally rely on the contractual provisions in the loan agreement itself, and fraud protections under applicable state law.

Second lien or other subordinated or unsecured loans or debt generally are subject to similar risks associated with investments in Senior Loans. Because second lien or other subordinated or unsecured loans or debt are lower in priority of payment to Senior Loans, they are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral.

The prices of debt securities held by the Trust will be affected by changes in interest rates, the creditworthiness of the issuer and other factors. An increase in prevailing interest rates typically causes the value of existing debt securities to fall and often has a greater impact on longer-duration debt securities and higher quality debt securities. Falling interest rates will cause the Trust to reinvest the proceeds of debt securities that have been repaid by the issuer at lower interest rates. Falling interest rates may also reduce the Trust’s distributable income because interest payments on floating rate debt instruments held by the Trust will decline. The Trust could lose money on investments in debt securities if the issuer or borrower fails to meet its obligations to make interest payments and/or to repay principal in a timely manner. If an issuer seeks to restructure the terms of its borrowings or the Trust is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of interest or the repayment of principal, the Trust may incur additional expenses. Changes in an issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength or in the credit rating of the issuer or the security may affect the value of debt securities. The credit analysis applied to the Trust’s debt securities may fail to anticipate such changes, which could result in buying

a debt security at an inopportune time or failing to sell a debt security in advance of a price decline or other credit event.

Compared to higher quality debt securities, high yield debt securities (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) and other lower-rated securities involve a greater risk of default or price changes due to changes in the credit quality of the issuer because they are generally unsecured and may be subordinated to other creditors’ claims. High yield debt securities are considered speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal, are more susceptible to default or decline in market value and are less liquid than investment grade debt securities. Prices of high yield debt securities tend to be very volatile. The values of high yield debt securities often fluctuate more in response to political, regulatory or economic developments than higher quality bonds, and their values can decline significantly over short periods of time or during periods of economic difficulty when the bonds could be difficult to value or sell at a fair price, thus subjecting the Trust to a substantial risk of loss.

Increases in the federal funds and equivalent foreign rates or other changes to monetary policy or regulatory actions may expose fixed income markets to heightened volatility, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree, and to reduced liquidity for certain fixed income investments, particularly those with longer maturities. It is difficult to predict the impact of interest rate changes on various markets. In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may also potentially lead to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity in the fixed income markets. As a result, the value of the Trust’s investments and share price may decline. Changes in central bank policies and other governmental actions and political events within the U.S. and abroad, the U.S. government’s inability at times to agree on a long-term budget and deficit reduction plan or other legislation aimed at addressing financial or economic conditions, the threat of a federal government shutdown, and threats not to increase or suspend the federal government’s debt limit may also, among other things, affect investor and consumer expectations and confidence in the financial markets, including in the U.S. government’s credit rating and ability to service its debt. Such changes and events may adversely impact the Trust, including

its operations, universe of potential investment options, and return potential.

The Trust may be susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting the financials sector. Financial services companies are subject to extensive government regulation and, as a result, their profitability may be affected by new regulations or regulatory interpretations. Changes in interest rates can have a disproportionate effect on the financials sector and financial services companies whose securities the Trust may purchase may themselves have concentrated portfolios, which makes them vulnerable to economic conditions that affect that sector. Financial services companies have also been affected by increased competition, which could adversely affect the profitability or viability of such companies.

Interest rate risk is the risk that rising interest rates will cause the values of the Trust’s investments to decline. The values of debt securities usually change when prevailing interest rates change. When interest rates rise, the values of outstanding debt securities generally fall, and those securities may sell at a discount from their face amount. When interest rates rise, the decrease in values of outstanding debt securities may not be offset by higher income from new investments. When interest rates fall, the values of already-issued debt securities generally rise. However, when interest rates fall, the Trust’s investments in new securities may be at lower yields and may reduce the Trust’s income. The values of longer-term debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-term debt securities when interest rates change; thus, interest rate risk is usually greater for securities with longer maturities or durations. “Zero-coupon” or “stripped” securities may be particularly sensitive to interest rate changes.

Shares of investment companies like the Trust frequently trade at prices lower than their net asset value. Because the market price of the Trust’s common shares is determined by factors such as relative market supply and demand, general market and economic circumstances, and other factors beyond the control of the Trust, the Trust cannot predict whether its shares of common stock will trade at, below or above net asset value. This characteristic is a risk separate and distinct from the risk that the Trust’s net asset value could decrease as a result of investment activities. Common shareholders bear a risk of loss to the extent that the price at which they sell their shares is lower than at the time of purchase.

In making a direct loan, the Trust is exposed to the risk that the borrower may default or become insolvent and, consequently, that the Trust will lose money on the loan. Furthermore, direct loans may subject the Trust to liquidity and interest rate risk and certain direct loans may be deemed illiquid. Direct loans are not publicly traded and may not have a secondary market. The lack of a secondary market for direct loans may have an adverse impact on the ability of the Trust to dispose of a direct loan and/ or to value the direct loan. When engaging in direct lending, the Trust’s performance may depend, in part, on the ability of the Trust to originate loans on advantageous terms. In originating and purchasing loans, the Trust will compete with a broad spectrum of lenders. Increased competition for, or a decrease in the available supply of, qualifying loans could result in lower yields on such loans, which could adversely affect Trust performance.

Different types of assets may be used as collateral for the Trust’s loans and, accordingly, the valuation of and risks associated with such collateral will vary by loan.

There is no assurance that the Trust will correctly evaluate the value of the assets collateralizing the Trust’s loans or the prospects for a successful reorganization or similar action. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company that the Trust funds, the Trust may lose all or part of the amounts advanced to the borrower or may be required to accept collateral with a value less than the amount of the loan advanced by the Trust or its affiliates to the borrower. Furthermore, in the event of a default by a borrower, the Trust may have

difficulty disposing of the assets used as collateral for a loan.

Various state licensing requirements could apply to the Trust with respect investments in, or the origination and servicing of loans and similar assets. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could lead to, among other penalties, a loss of the Trust’s (or its Subsidiary’s) or the Adviser’s license, as applicable, which in turn could require the Trust to divest assets located in or secured by real property located in that state. To the extent the Trust (or its Subsidiary) obtains licenses or is required to comply with related regulatory requirements, the Trust could be subject to increased costs and regulatory oversight by governmental authorities, which may have an adverse effect on its results or operations.

By investing through one or more Subsidiaries, if any, the Trust is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiaries’ investments (which risks are generally the same as the investment risks described in this annual report applicable to the Trust). Subsidiaries will not be registered as investment companies under the 1940 Act and will not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. However, the Trust will comply with the applicable requirements of the 1940 Act on a consolidated basis with its Subsidiaries (if any) and each such Subsidiary will be subject to the same investment restrictions and limitations, and will adhere to the same compliance policies and procedures, as the Trust. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the jurisdiction in which a Subsidiary is organized, including any changes in the interpretations of, or treatment with respect to, applicable federal matters impacting the Trust and its status as a regulated investment company, could result in the inability of the Trust and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described herein and could adversely affect the Trust.

For domestic subsidiaries, investments through a wholly-owned domestic entity that is taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes may incur entity-level income taxes on their earnings, which ultimately may reduce the return to shareholders.

Investments in middle-market companies may entail greater risks than are customarily associated with investments in large companies. Middle-market companies may have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may be dependent on a smaller management group. As a result, such companies may be more vulnerable to general economic trends and to specific changes in markets and technology. In addition, future growth may be dependent on additional financing, which may not be available on acceptable terms when required. Furthermore, there is ordinarily a more limited marketplace for the sale of interests in smaller, private companies, which may make realizations of gains more difficult, by requiring sales to other private investors. In addition, the relative illiquidity of investments held by funds generally, and the somewhat greater illiquidity of fund investments in middle-market companies, could make it difficult for the Trust to react quickly to negative economic or political developments.

The Adviser and certain of its affiliates may experience conflicts of interest in

connection with transactions. The Exemptive Orders impose various conditions on the Trust and the Adviser intended to ensure that any transactions are done in a fair and equitable manner. However, conflicts may nonetheless arise, including, but not limited to, the following:

The Trust’s portfolio investments may include loans that are not publicly traded and for which no market-based price quotation is available. As a result, the fair value of these loans will be determined in good faith in accordance with the valuation policy approved by the Board and related procedures. In connection with that determination, investment professionals from the Adviser may provide input regarding valuations based upon the most recent portfolio company financial statements available and projected financial results of each portfolio company. Input from the Adviser’s investment professionals as part of the Trust’s valuation process could result in a conflict of interest as the Adviser’s management fee is based, in part, on the value of the Trust’s assets. Because such valuations are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if an exchange-traded market for these securities existed. Due to this uncertainty, the Trust’s fair value determinations may cause the Trust’s NAV on a given date to materially understate or overstate the value that it may ultimately realize upon the sale of one or more of its investments.

Defaulted securities, where the issuer has defaulted on the payment of interest and/or principal, are speculative and involve substantial risks. Although defaulted securities can offer significant potential for higher returns or for an exchange offer for other securities that offer this potential, there can be no assurance that the Trust will achieve these returns or that the issuer will make an exchange offer. The Trust will generally not receive interest payments on defaulted securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, defaulted securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. Defaulted securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.

The issuers of instruments in which the Trust invests may be unable to meet interest

and/or principal payments. This risk is increased to the extent the Trust invests in junk bonds, which may cause the Trust to incur higher expenses to protect its interests. The credit risks and market prices of lower-grade securities generally are more sensitive to negative issuer developments, such as reduced revenues or increased expenditures, or adverse economic conditions, such as a recession, than are higher-grade securities. An issuer’s securities may decrease in value if its financial strength weakens, which may reduce its credit rating and possibly its ability to meet its contractual obligations. In the event that an issuer of securities held by the Trust experiences difficulties in the timely payment of principal and interest and such issuer seeks to restructure the terms of its borrowings, the Trust may incur additional expenses and may determine to invest additional assets with respect to such issuer or the project or projects to which the Trust’s securities relate. Further, the Trust may incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of interest or the repayment of principal on its portfolio holdings and the Trust may be unable to obtain full recovery on such amounts.

The Trust can invest in securities that are rated or unrated. “Investment-grade” securities are those rated within the four highest rating categories by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations such as Moody’s or S&P (or, in the case of unrated securities, determined by the investment adviser to be comparable to securities rated investment-grade). “Below-investment-grade” securities are those that are rated below those categories, which are also referred to as “junk bonds.” While securities rated within the fourth highest category by S&P (meaning BBB) or by Moody’s (meaning Baa) are considered“investment-grade,” they have some speculative characteristics. If two or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations have assigned different ratings to a security, the investment adviser uses the highest or lowest rating assigned.

Credit ratings evaluate the expectation that scheduled interest and principal payments will be made in a timely manner. They do not reflect any judgment of market risk. Ratings and market value may change from time to time, positively or negatively, to reflect new developments regarding the issuer. Rating organizations might not change their credit rating of an issuer in a timely manner to reflect events that could affect the issuer’s ability to make timely payments on its obligations. In selecting securities for its portfolio and evaluating their income potential and credit risk, the Trust does not rely solely on ratings by rating organizations but evaluates business, economic and other factors affecting issuers as well. Many factors affect an issuer’s ability to make timely payments, and the credit risk of a particular security may change over time. The Adviser also may use its own research and analysis to assess those risks. If a bond is insured, it will usually be rated by the rating organizations based on the financial strength of the insurer.

The Adviser may internally assign ratings to securities that are not rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, after assessing their credit quality and other factors, in categories similar to those of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. There can be no assurance, nor is it intended, that the Adviser’s credit analysis process is consistent or

comparable with the credit analysis process used by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. Unrated securities are considered “investment-grade” or “below-investment-grade” if judged by the Adviser to be comparable to rated investment-grade or below-investment-grade securities. The Adviser’s rating does not constitute a guarantee of the credit quality. In addition, some unrated securities may not have an active trading market or may trade less actively than rated securities, which means that the Trust might have difficulty selling them promptly at an acceptable price.

In evaluating the credit quality of a particular security, whether rated or unrated, the Adviser will normally take into consideration a number of factors such as, if applicable, the financial resources of the issuer, the underlying source of funds for debt service on a security, the issuer’s sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, any operating history of the facility financed by the obligation, the degree of community support for the financed facility, the capabilities of the issuer’s management, and regulatory factors affecting the issuer or the particular facility. A reduction in the rating of a security after the Trust buys it will not require the Trust to dispose of the security. However, the Adviser will evaluate such downgraded securities to determine whether to keep them in the Trust’s portfolio.

The Trust may be unable to sell illiquid investments at the time or price it desires and, as a result, could lose its entire investment in such investments. An investment may be illiquid due to a lack of trading volume in the investment or if the investment is privately placed and not traded in any public market or is otherwise restricted from trading. Liquid securities can become illiquid during periods of market stress.

Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on their marketability, and may prevent the Trust from disposing of them promptly at reasonable prices. There can be no assurance that a trading market will exist at any time for any particular restricted security. Transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities. Also, restricted securities may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the securities may have significant volatility. In addition, the Trust may get only limited information about the issuer of a restricted security and therefore may be less able to predict a loss.

The Trust may invest in Rule 144A securities and other types of exempt securities, which are not registered for sale pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act” or “Securities Act”). These securities are also known as privately issued securities, and typically may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers, or in a privately negotiated transaction, or to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met for an exemption from registration. Although such securities may be determined to be liquid, if there are an insufficient number of qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing such securities at a particular time, the Trust may have difficulty selling such securities at a desirable time or price. As a result, the Trust’s investment in such securities may be subject to

increased liquidity risk. In addition, the issuers of Rule 144A securities may require their qualified institutional buyers (such as the Trust) to keep certain offering information confidential, which could adversely affect the ability of the Trust to sell such securities.

The primary risk associated with the Trust’s issuance of preferred shares, such as the VRDM Shares, is exposing the net asset value of the common shares and total return to increased volatility if the value of the Trust decreases while the value of the preferred shares remains unchanged. Fluctuations in the dividend rates on the VRDM Shares can also impact the Trust’s yield or its distributions to common shareholders. The Trust is subject to certain restrictions relating to the VRDM Shares, such as maintaining certain asset coverage and leverage ratio requirements. Failure to comply with these restrictions could preclude the Trust from declaring any distributions to common shareholders or purchasing common shares and/or could trigger an increased rate which, if not cured, could cause the mandatory redemption of VRDM Shares at the liquidation preference plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends. For additional information regarding the risks of VRDM Shares, see “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.

Investments in foreign securities involve risks that are beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. Fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the values of other currencies may adversely affect investments in foreign securities, and foreign securities may have relatively low market liquidity, decreased publicly available information about issuers, and inconsistent and potentially less stringent accounting, auditing and financial reporting requirements and standards of practice, including recordkeeping standards, comparable to those applicable to domestic issuers.

Foreign securities also are subject to the risks of possible seizure, expropriation, nationalization, political or social instability, or other adverse political or economic developments and the difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries. Investments in foreign securities also may be subject to dividend withholding or confiscatory taxes, currency blockage and/or transfer restrictions and higher transactional costs. Each country has different laws specific to that country that impact investment, which may increase the risks to which investors are subject.

Country-specific rules or legislation addressing investment-related transactions may inhibit or prevent certain transactions from transpiring in a particular country.

To the extent the Trust invests in securities denominated in foreign currencies, fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the values of other currencies may adversely affect investments in foreign securities and may negatively impact the Trust’s returns, unless the Trust has hedged its foreign currency exposure. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency hedging strategies, if used, may not always be successful. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls, and may therefore be more susceptible to fraud or corruption. There may be less public information available about foreign companies than U.S.

companies, making it difficult to evaluate those foreign companies.

From time to time, certain companies in which the Trust invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations and/or in countries the U.S. government identified as state sponsors of terrorism. One or more of these companies may be subject to constraints under U.S. law or regulations that could negatively affect the company’s performance.

Furthermore, foreign exchanges and broker-dealers generally are subject to less government and exchange scrutiny and regulation than their U.S. counterparts. Differences in clearance and settlement procedures in foreign markets may cause delays in settlement of the Trust’s trades effected in those markets and could result in losses to the Trust due to subsequent declines in the value of the securities subject to the trades. Depositary receipts also involve substantially identical risks to those associated with investments in foreign securities. Additionally, the issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, have no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

The Trust may invest in structured products, including CDOs, CBOs, CLOs, structured notes, credit-linked notes and other types of structured products. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk. The Trust may have the right to receive payments to which it is entitled only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold assets to the special purpose trust. While certain structured products enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured products generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. When investing in structured products, it is impossible to predict whether the underlying index or prices of the underlying securities will rise or fall, but prices of the underlying indices and securities (and, therefore, the prices of structured products) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect particular issuers of securities and capital markets generally. Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market and may have the effect of increasing the Trust’s illiquidity to the extent that the Trust, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified buyers for these securities.

CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are typically privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Trust as illiquid securities; however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to be considered liquid in some circumstances. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities discussed herein, CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the

possibility that the CDOs are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

Where the Trust’s investments in structured notes are based upon the movement of one or more factors, including currency exchange rates, interest rates, referenced bonds and stock indices, depending on the factor used and the use of multipliers or deflators, changes in interest rates and movement of the factor may cause significant price fluctuations. Additionally, changes in the reference instrument or security may cause the interest rate on the structured note to be reduced to zero and any further changes in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Structured notes may be less liquid than other types of securities and more volatile than the reference instrument or security underlying the note.

Common stock represents an ownership interest in a company. It ranks below preferred stock and debt securities in claims for dividends and in claims for assets of the issuer in a liquidation or bankruptcy. Common stocks may be exchange-traded or securities. securities may be less liquid than exchange-traded securities.

The value of the Trust’s portfolio may be affected by changes in the stock markets. Stocks and other equity securities fluctuate in price in response to changes to equity markets in general. Stock markets may experience significant short-term volatility and may fall or rise sharply at times. Adverse events in any part of the equity or fixed-income markets may have unexpected negative effects on other market segments. Different stock markets may behave differently from each other and U.S. stock markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign stock markets.The prices of individual stocks generally do not all move in the same direction at the same time. However, individual stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of certain other types of investments, such as bonds. A variety of factors can negatively affect the price of a particular company’s stock. These factors may include, but are not limited to: poor earnings reports, a loss of customers, litigation against the company, general unfavorable performance of the company’s sector or industry, or changes in government regulations affecting the company or its industry. To the extent that securities of a particular type are emphasized (for example foreign stocks, stocks of small- or companies, growth or value stocks, or stocks of companies in a particular industry), their share values may fluctuate more in response to events affecting the market for those types of securities.

Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and overall market risks that are generally applicable to equity securities as a whole; however, there are special risks associated with investing in preferred securities. Preferred securities may be less liquid than many other types of securities, such as common stock, and generally provide no voting rights with respect to the issuer. Preferred securities also may be subordinated to bonds or other debt instruments in an issuer’s capital structure, meaning that an issuer’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the

issuer makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. This subjects preferred securities to a greater risk of than more senior securities. Because of the subordinated position of preferred securities in an issuer’s capital structure, the ability to defer dividend or interest payments for extended periods of time without triggering an event of default for the issuer, and certain other features, preferred securities’ quality and value are heavily dependent on the profitability and cash flows of the issuer rather than on any legal claims to specific assets. Also, in certain circumstances, an issuer of preferred securities may call or redeem it prior to a specified date or may convert it to common stock, all of which may negatively impact its return. Variable rate preferred securities may be subject to greater liquidity risk than other preferred securities, meaning that there may be limitations on the Trust’s ability to sell those securities at any given time. In addition, the floating rate feature of such preferred securities means that they generally will not experience capital appreciation in a declining interest rate environment.

Preferred securities may include provisions that permit the issuer, in its discretion, to defer or omit distributions for a certain period of time. If the Trust owns a security that is deferring or omitting its distributions, the Trust may be required to report the distribution on its tax returns, even though it may not have received any income. Dividend payments on a preferred security typically must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors, unlike interest payments on debt securities. However, an issuer’s board of directors generally is not under any obligation to declare a dividend for an issuer (even if such dividends have accrued). If an issuer of preferred securities experiences economic difficulties, those securities may lose substantial value due to the reduced likelihood that the issuer’s board of directors will declare a dividend.

Rights and warrants may be purchased directly or acquired as part of other securities. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specific price during a specific period of time. The price of a warrant does not necessarily move parallel to, and is generally more volatile than, the price of the underlying security. Warrants may be significantly less valuable or worthless on their expiration date and may also be postponed or terminated early, resulting in a partial or total loss. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Rights and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer. Warrants and rights are highly volatile and, therefore, more susceptible to sharp declines in value than the underlying security might be. The market for rights or warrants may be very limited and it may be difficult to sell them promptly at an acceptable price.

The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Convertible securities can be converted into or exchanged for a set amount of common stock of an issuer within a particular period

of time at a specified price or according to a price formula. Convertible debt securities pay interest and convertible preferred stocks pay dividends until they mature or are converted, exchanged or redeemed. Some convertible debt securities may be considered “equity equivalents” because of the feature that makes them convertible into common stock. Since a convertible security derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock. In addition, certain convertible securities are subject to involuntary conversions and may undergo principal write-downs upon the occurrence of certain triggering events. These convertible securities are subject to an increased risk of loss and are generally subordinate in rank to other debt obligations of the issuer. Convertible securities may be rated below investment grade and therefore considered to have more speculative characteristics and greater susceptibility to default or decline in market value than investment grade securities.

Warrants, equity securities and junior debt securities have a subordinate claim on a Borrower’s assets as compared with Senior Loans. As a result, the values of warrants, equity securities and junior debt securities generally are more dependent on the financial condition of the Borrower and less dependent on fluctuations in interest rates than are the values of many debt securities. The values of warrants, equity securities and junior debt securities may be more volatile than those of Senior Loans and thus may increase the volatility of the Trust’s net asset value. Additionally, warrants may be significantly less valuable on their relevant expiration date resulting in a loss of money or they may expire worthless resulting in a total loss of the investment. Warrants may also be postponed or terminated early resulting in a partial or total loss of the investment. Warrants may also be illiquid.

The value of a derivative instrument depends largely on (and is derived from) the value of an underlying security, currency, commodity, interest rate, index or other asset (each referred to as an underlying asset). In addition to risks relating to the underlying assets, the use of derivatives may include other, possibly greater, risks, including counterparty, leverage and liquidity risks. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty to the derivative contract will default on its obligation to pay the Trust the amount owed or otherwise perform under the derivative contract. Derivatives create leverage risk because they do not require payment up front equal to the economic exposure created by holding a position in the derivative. As a result, an adverse change in the value of the underlying asset could result in the Trust sustaining a loss that is substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative or the anticipated value of the underlying asset, which may make the Trust’s returns more volatile and increase the risk of loss. Derivative instruments may also be less liquid than more traditional investments and the Trust may be unable to sell or close out its derivative positions at a desirable time or price. This risk may be more acute under adverse market conditions, during which the Trust may be most in need of liquidating its derivative positions. Derivatives may also be harder to value, less tax efficient and subject to changing government

regulation that could impact the Trust’s ability to use certain derivatives or their cost. Derivatives strategies may not always be successful. For example, derivatives used for hedging or to gain or limit exposure to a particular market segment may not provide the expected benefits, particularly during adverse market conditions.

The volatility of futures contracts prices has been historically greater than the volatility of stocks and bonds. The liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced. In addition, futures exchanges often impose a maximum permissible price movement on each futures contract for each trading session. The Trust may be disadvantaged if it is prohibited from executing a trade outside the daily permissible price movement.

Under U.S. financial reform legislation enacted in 2010, certain types of swaps are required to be executed on a regulated market and cleared through a central clearing house counterparty, which may entail further risks and costs for the Trust. Swap agreements are privately negotiated in the market and may be entered into as a bilateral contract or may be centrally cleared. In a centrally cleared swap, immediately following execution of the swap agreement, the swap agreement is submitted for clearing to a central clearing house counterparty, and the Trust faces the central clearing house counterparty by means of an account with a futures commission merchant that is a member of the clearing house.

Forward foreign currency contracts are used to lock in the U.S. dollar price of a security denominated in a foreign currency or protect against possible losses from changes in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against a foreign currency. They are subject to the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted or do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the Trust’s holdings as a consequence of market movements between the date the contract is entered into and the date it is sold, which could result in losses and additional transaction costs. The use of forward contracts could reduce performance if there are unanticipated changes in currency prices. A contract to sell a foreign currency would limit any potential gain that might be realized if the value of the currency increases. A forward foreign currency contract may also result in losses in the event of a default or bankruptcy of the counterparty.

The Trust can borrow up to of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) from banks, as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940. It can use those borrowings for a number of purposes, including for purchasing securities, which can create “leverage.” In that case, changes in the value of the Trust’s investments will have a larger effect on its share price than if it did not borrow. Borrowing results in interest payments to the lenders and related expenses. Borrowing for investment purposes might reduce the Trust’s return if the yield on the securities purchased is less than those borrowing costs.

From time to time, the Trust may pursue or be involved as a named party in

litigation arising in connection with its role or status as a shareholder, bondholder, lender or holder of portfolio investments, its own activities, or other circumstances. Litigation that affects the Trust’s portfolio investments may result in the reduced value of such investments or higher portfolio turnover if the Trust determines to sell such investments. Litigation could result in significant expenses, reputational damage, increased insurance premiums, adverse judgment liabilities, settlement liabilities, injunctions, diversions of Trust resources, disruptions to Trust operations and/or other similar adverse consequences, any of which may increase the expenses incurred by the Trust or adversely affect the value of the Trust’s shares.

The Trust is actively managed and depends heavily on the Adviser’s judgment about markets, interest rates or the attractiveness, relative values, liquidity, or potential appreciation of particular investments made for the Trust’s portfolio. The Trust could experience losses if these judgments prove to be incorrect. There can be no guarantee that the Adviser’s investment techniques or investment decisions will produce the desired results. Additionally, legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investments or investment strategies available to the Adviser in connection with managing the Trust, which may also adversely affect the ability of the Trust to achieve its investment objective.

Second lien or other subordinated or unsecured loans or debt generally are subject to similar risks associated with investments in Senior Loans. Because second lien or other subordinated or unsecured loans or debt are lower in priority of payment to Senior Loans, they are subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior secured obligations of the borrower. This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral.

Increases in the federal funds and equivalent foreign rates or other changes to monetary policy or regulatory actions may expose fixed income markets to heightened volatility, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree, and to reduced liquidity for certain fixed income investments, particularly those with longer maturities. It is difficult to predict the impact of interest rate changes on various markets. In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may also potentially lead to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity in the fixed income markets. As a result, the value of the Trust’s investments and share price may decline. Changes in central bank policies and other governmental actions and political events within the U.S. and abroad, the U.S. government’s inability at times to agree on a long-term budget and deficit reduction plan or other legislation aimed at addressing financial or economic conditions, the threat of a federal government shutdown, and threats not to increase or suspend the federal government’s debt limit may also, among other things, affect investor and consumer expectations and confidence in the financial markets, including in the U.S. government’s credit rating and ability to service its debt. Such changes and events may adversely impact the Trust, including

its operations, universe of potential investment options, and return potential.

Interest rate risk is the risk that rising interest rates will cause the values of the Trust’s investments to decline. The values of debt securities usually change when prevailing interest rates change. When interest rates rise, the values of outstanding debt securities generally fall, and those securities may sell at a discount from their face amount. When interest rates rise, the decrease in values of outstanding debt securities may not be offset by higher income from new investments. When interest rates fall, the values of already-issued debt securities generally rise. However, when interest rates fall, the Trust’s investments in new securities may be at lower yields and may reduce the Trust’s income. The values of longer-term debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-term debt securities when interest rates change; thus, interest rate risk is usually greater for securities with longer maturities or durations. “Zero-coupon” or “stripped” securities may be particularly sensitive to interest rate changes.

In making a direct loan, the Trust is exposed to the risk that the borrower may default or become insolvent and, consequently, that the Trust will lose money on the loan. Furthermore, direct loans may subject the Trust to liquidity and interest rate risk and certain direct loans may be deemed illiquid. Direct loans are not publicly traded and may not have a secondary market. The lack of a secondary market for direct loans may have an adverse impact on the ability of the Trust to dispose of a direct loan and/ or to value the direct loan. When engaging in direct lending, the Trust’s performance may depend, in part, on the ability of the Trust to originate loans on advantageous terms. In originating and purchasing loans, the Trust will compete with a broad spectrum of lenders. Increased competition for, or a decrease in the available supply of, qualifying loans could result in lower yields on such loans, which could adversely affect Trust performance.

Various state licensing requirements could apply to the Trust with respect investments in, or the origination and servicing of loans and similar assets. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could lead to, among other penalties, a loss of the Trust’s (or its Subsidiary’s) or the Adviser’s license, as applicable, which in turn could require the Trust to divest assets located in or secured by real property located in that state. To the extent the Trust (or its Subsidiary) obtains licenses or is required to comply with related regulatory requirements, the Trust could be subject to increased costs and regulatory oversight by governmental authorities, which may have an adverse effect on its results or operations.

Investments in middle-market companies may entail greater risks than are customarily associated with investments in large companies. Middle-market companies may have more limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may be dependent on a smaller management group. As a result, such companies may be more vulnerable to general economic trends and to specific changes in markets and technology. In addition, future growth may be dependent on additional financing, which may not be available on acceptable terms when required. Furthermore, there is ordinarily a more limited marketplace for the sale of interests in smaller, private companies, which may make realizations of gains more difficult, by requiring sales to other private investors. In addition, the relative illiquidity of investments held by funds generally, and the somewhat greater illiquidity of fund investments in middle-market companies, could make it difficult for the Trust to react quickly to negative economic or political developments.

The Trust’s portfolio investments may include loans that are not publicly traded and for which no market-based price quotation is available. As a result, the fair value of these loans will be determined in good faith in accordance with the valuation policy approved by the Board and related procedures. In connection with that determination, investment professionals from the Adviser may provide input regarding valuations based upon the most recent portfolio company financial statements available and projected financial results of each portfolio company. Input from the Adviser’s investment professionals as part of the Trust’s valuation process could result in a conflict of interest as the Adviser’s management fee is based, in part, on the value of the Trust’s assets. Because such valuations are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on estimates, determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if an exchange-traded market for these securities existed. Due to this uncertainty, the Trust’s fair value determinations may cause the Trust’s NAV on a given date to materially understate or overstate the value that it may ultimately realize upon the sale of one or more of its investments.

The issuers of instruments in which the Trust invests may be unable to meet interest

and/or principal payments. This risk is increased to the extent the Trust invests in junk bonds, which may cause the Trust to incur higher expenses to protect its interests. The credit risks and market prices of lower-grade securities generally are more sensitive to negative issuer developments, such as reduced revenues or increased expenditures, or adverse economic conditions, such as a recession, than are higher-grade securities. An issuer’s securities may decrease in value if its financial strength weakens, which may reduce its credit rating and possibly its ability to meet its contractual obligations. In the event that an issuer of securities held by the Trust experiences difficulties in the timely payment of principal and interest and such issuer seeks to restructure the terms of its borrowings, the Trust may incur additional expenses and may determine to invest additional assets with respect to such issuer or the project or projects to which the Trust’s securities relate. Further, the Trust may incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of interest or the repayment of principal on its portfolio holdings and the Trust may be unable to obtain full recovery on such amounts.

The Adviser may internally assign ratings to securities that are not rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, after assessing their credit quality and other factors, in categories similar to those of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. There can be no assurance, nor is it intended, that the Adviser’s credit analysis process is consistent or

comparable with the credit analysis process used by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. Unrated securities are considered “investment-grade” or “below-investment-grade” if judged by the Adviser to be comparable to rated investment-grade or below-investment-grade securities. The Adviser’s rating does not constitute a guarantee of the credit quality. In addition, some unrated securities may not have an active trading market or may trade less actively than rated securities, which means that the Trust might have difficulty selling them promptly at an acceptable price.

In evaluating the credit quality of a particular security, whether rated or unrated, the Adviser will normally take into consideration a number of factors such as, if applicable, the financial resources of the issuer, the underlying source of funds for debt service on a security, the issuer’s sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, any operating history of the facility financed by the obligation, the degree of community support for the financed facility, the capabilities of the issuer’s management, and regulatory factors affecting the issuer or the particular facility. A reduction in the rating of a security after the Trust buys it will not require the Trust to dispose of the security. However, the Adviser will evaluate such downgraded securities to determine whether to keep them in the Trust’s portfolio.

Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on their marketability, and may prevent the Trust from disposing of them promptly at reasonable prices. There can be no assurance that a trading market will exist at any time for any particular restricted security. Transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities. Also, restricted securities may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the securities may have significant volatility. In addition, the Trust may get only limited information about the issuer of a restricted security and therefore may be less able to predict a loss.

The primary risk associated with the Trust’s issuance of preferred shares, such as the VRDM Shares, is exposing the net asset value of the common shares and total return to increased volatility if the value of the Trust decreases while the value of the preferred shares remains unchanged. Fluctuations in the dividend rates on the VRDM Shares can also impact the Trust’s yield or its distributions to common shareholders. The Trust is subject to certain restrictions relating to the VRDM Shares, such as maintaining certain asset coverage and leverage ratio requirements. Failure to comply with these restrictions could preclude the Trust from declaring any distributions to common shareholders or purchasing common shares and/or could trigger an increased rate which, if not cured, could cause the mandatory redemption of VRDM Shares at the liquidation preference plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends. For additional information regarding the risks of VRDM Shares, see “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.

The Trust may invest in structured products, including CDOs, CBOs, CLOs, structured notes, credit-linked notes and other types of structured products. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk. The Trust may have the right to receive payments to which it is entitled only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold assets to the special purpose trust. While certain structured products enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured products generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. When investing in structured products, it is impossible to predict whether the underlying index or prices of the underlying securities will rise or fall, but prices of the underlying indices and securities (and, therefore, the prices of structured products) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect particular issuers of securities and capital markets generally. Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market and may have the effect of increasing the Trust’s illiquidity to the extent that the Trust, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified buyers for these securities.

CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are typically privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Trust as illiquid securities; however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to be considered liquid in some circumstances. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities discussed herein, CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the

possibility that the CDOs are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

Common stock represents an ownership interest in a company. It ranks below preferred stock and debt securities in claims for dividends and in claims for assets of the issuer in a liquidation or bankruptcy. Common stocks may be exchange-traded or securities. securities may be less liquid than exchange-traded securities.

The value of the Trust’s portfolio may be affected by changes in the stock markets. Stocks and other equity securities fluctuate in price in response to changes to equity markets in general. Stock markets may experience significant short-term volatility and may fall or rise sharply at times. Adverse events in any part of the equity or fixed-income markets may have unexpected negative effects on other market segments. Different stock markets may behave differently from each other and U.S. stock markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign stock markets.The prices of individual stocks generally do not all move in the same direction at the same time. However, individual stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of certain other types of investments, such as bonds. A variety of factors can negatively affect the price of a particular company’s stock. These factors may include, but are not limited to: poor earnings reports, a loss of customers, litigation against the company, general unfavorable performance of the company’s sector or industry, or changes in government regulations affecting the company or its industry. To the extent that securities of a particular type are emphasized (for example foreign stocks, stocks of small- or companies, growth or value stocks, or stocks of companies in a particular industry), their share values may fluctuate more in response to events affecting the market for those types of securities.

Rights and warrants may be purchased directly or acquired as part of other securities. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specific price during a specific period of time. The price of a warrant does not necessarily move parallel to, and is generally more volatile than, the price of the underlying security. Warrants may be significantly less valuable or worthless on their expiration date and may also be postponed or terminated early, resulting in a partial or total loss. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Rights and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer. Warrants and rights are highly volatile and, therefore, more susceptible to sharp declines in value than the underlying security might be. The market for rights or warrants may be very limited and it may be difficult to sell them promptly at an acceptable price.

Warrants, equity securities and junior debt securities have a subordinate claim on a Borrower’s assets as compared with Senior Loans. As a result, the values of warrants, equity securities and junior debt securities generally are more dependent on the financial condition of the Borrower and less dependent on fluctuations in interest rates than are the values of many debt securities. The values of warrants, equity securities and junior debt securities may be more volatile than those of Senior Loans and thus may increase the volatility of the Trust’s net asset value. Additionally, warrants may be significantly less valuable on their relevant expiration date resulting in a loss of money or they may expire worthless resulting in a total loss of the investment. Warrants may also be postponed or terminated early resulting in a partial or total loss of the investment. Warrants may also be illiquid.

The volatility of futures contracts prices has been historically greater than the volatility of stocks and bonds. The liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced. In addition, futures exchanges often impose a maximum permissible price movement on each futures contract for each trading session. The Trust may be disadvantaged if it is prohibited from executing a trade outside the daily permissible price movement.

Forward foreign currency contracts are used to lock in the U.S. dollar price of a security denominated in a foreign currency or protect against possible losses from changes in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against a foreign currency. They are subject to the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted or do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the Trust’s holdings as a consequence of market movements between the date the contract is entered into and the date it is sold, which could result in losses and additional transaction costs. The use of forward contracts could reduce performance if there are unanticipated changes in currency prices. A contract to sell a foreign currency would limit any potential gain that might be realized if the value of the currency increases. A forward foreign currency contract may also result in losses in the event of a default or bankruptcy of the counterparty.

The Trust is actively managed and depends heavily on the Adviser’s judgment about markets, interest rates or the attractiveness, relative values, liquidity, or potential appreciation of particular investments made for the Trust’s portfolio. The Trust could experience losses if these judgments prove to be incorrect. There can be no guarantee that the Adviser’s investment techniques or investment decisions will produce the desired results. Additionally, legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investments or investment strategies available to the Adviser in connection with managing the Trust, which may also adversely affect the ability of the Trust to achieve its investment objective.

 

interest from a syndicate of lenders (“Lenders”) or one of the participants in the syndicate (“Participant”), one or more of which administers the loan on behalf of all the Lenders (the “Agent Bank”), the Trust would be required to rely on the Lender that sold the participation interest not only for the enforcement of the Trust’s rights against the Borrower but also for the receipt and processing of payments due to the Trust under the corporate loans. As such, the Trust is subject to the credit risk of the Borrower and the Participant. Lenders and Participants interposed between the Trust and a Borrower, together with Agent Banks, are referred to as “Intermediate Participants”.

Fluctuations in the federal funds and equivalent foreign rates or other changes to monetary policy or regulatory actions may expose fixed income markets to heightened volatility, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree, and to reduced liquidity for certain fixed income investments, particularly those with longer maturities. Such changes and resulting increased volatility may adversely impact the Trust, including its operations, universe of potential investment options, and return potential. It is difficult to predict the impact of interest rate changes on various markets. In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may also potentially lead to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity in the fixed income markets. As a result, the value of the Trust’s investments and share price may decline. Changes in central bank policies and other governmental actions and political events within the U.S. and abroad may also, among other things, affect investor and consumer expectations and confidence in the financial markets. This could result in higher than normal redemptions by shareholders, which could potentially increase the Trust’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs.

In making a loan directly to the borrower (“direct loan”), the Trust is exposed to the credit risk that the borrower may default or become insolvent and, consequently, that the Trust will lose money on the loan. Furthermore, direct loans may subject the Trust to liquidity and interest rate risk and certain direct loans may be deemed illiquid. Direct loans are not publicly traded and may not have a secondary market. The lack of a secondary market for direct loans may have an adverse impact on the ability of the Trust to dispose of a direct loan and/or to value the direct loan. When engaging in direct lending, the Trust’s performance may depend, in part, on the ability of the Trust to originate loans on advantageous terms. In originating and purchasing loans, the Trust will compete with a broad spectrum of lenders. Increased competition for, or a decrease in the available supply of, qualifying loans could result in lower yields on such loans, which could adversely affect Trust performance.

By investing through the LLC and Subsidiary, the Trust is exposed to the risks associated with the investments of the LLC and Subsidiary (which risks are generally the same as the Trust’s investment risks). The LLC and Subsidiary are not registered under the 1940 Act, and, except as otherwise noted in the Trust’s prospectus, are not subject to the investor protections of the 1940 Act. However, the Trust will comply with the applicable requirements of the 1940 Acton a consolidated basis with its LLC and Subsidiary, and the LLC and Subsidiary will be subject to the same investment restrictions and limitations, and will adhere to the same compliance policies and procedures, as the Trust. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the jurisdiction in which the LLC and Subsidiary are organized, including any changes in the interpretations of, or treatment with respect to, applicable federal matters impacting the Trust and its status as a regulated investment company, could result in the inability of the Trust, LLC and/or the Subsidiary to operate as intended and could adversely affect the Trust and its shareholders.

Investments through the Subsidiary, which is taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, may incur entity-level income taxes on their earnings, which ultimately may reduce the return to shareholders.