22250 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2022 / Notices 

27 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). 

28 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b– 

4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give 

the Commission written notice of its intent to file 

the proposed rule change, along with a brief 

description and text of the proposed rule change, 

at least five business days prior to the date of filing 

of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time 

as designated by the Commission. FINRA has 

satisfied this requirement. 

29 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

30 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6)(iii). 

31For purposes only of waiving the 30-day 

operative delay, the Commission has considered the 

proposed rule’s impact on efficiency, competition, 

and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f). 32 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement on Comments on the 

Proposed Rule Change Received From 

Members, Participants, or Others 

Written comments were neither 

solicited nor received. 

III. Date of Effectiveness of the 

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 

Commission Action 

Because the foregoing proposed rule 

change does not: (i) Significantly affect 

the protection of investors or the public 

interest; (ii) impose any significant 

burden on competition; and (iii) become 

operative for 30 days after the date of 

the filing, or such shorter time as the 

Commission may designate if consistent 

with the protection of investors and the 

public interest, it has become effective 

pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the 

Act 27 and Rule 19b–4(f)(6) 28

thereunder. 

A proposed rule change filed under 

Rule 19b–4(f)(6) 29 normally does not 

become operative prior to 30 days after 

the date of the filing. However, pursuant 

to Rule 19b–4(f)(6)(iii),30 the 

Commission may designate a shorter 

time if such action is consistent with the 

protection of investors and the public 

interest. FINRA has asked the 

Commission to waive the 30-day 

operative delay so that the proposed 

rule change may become operative upon 

filing. FINRA states that waiver of the 

operative delay would be consistent 

with the protection of investors and the 

public interest because it would enable 

FINRA to immediately harmonize 

position limits with those of other selfregulatory organizations to ensure 

consistent regulation. For this reason, 

the Commission believes that waiving 

the 30-day operative delay is consistent 

with the protection of investors and the 

public interest. Therefore, the 

Commission hereby waives the 

operative delay and designates the 

proposal operative upon filing.31

At any time within 60 days of the 

filing of the proposed rule change, the 

Commission summarily may 

temporarily suspend such rule change if 

it appears to the Commission that such 

action is necessary or appropriate in the 

public interest, for the protection of 

investors, or otherwise in furtherance of 

the purposes of the Act. If the 

Commission takes such action, the 

Commission shall institute proceedings 

to determine whether the proposed rule 

should be approved or disapproved. 

IV. Solicitation of Comments 

Interested persons are invited to 

submit written data, views and 

arguments concerning the foregoing, 

including whether the proposed rule 

change is consistent with the Act. 

Comments may be submitted by any of 

the following methods: 

Electronic Comments 

• Use the Commission’s internet 

comment form (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml); or 

• Send an email to rule-comments@

sec.gov. Please include File Number SR– 

FINRA–2022–007 on the subject line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Secretary, Securities and Exchange 

Commission, 100 F Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–FINRA–2022–007. This file 

number should be included on the 

subject line if email is used. To help the 

Commission process and review your 

comments more efficiently, please use 

only one method. The Commission will 

post all comments on the Commission’s 

internet website (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the 

submission, all subsequent 

amendments, all written statements 

with respect to the proposed rule 

change that are filed with the 

Commission, and all written 

communications relating to the 

proposed rule change between the 

Commission and any person, other than 

those that may be withheld from the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be 

available for website viewing and 

printing in the Commission’s Public 

Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20549, on official 

business days between the hours of 10 

a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing 

also will be available for inspection and 

copying at the principal office of 

FINRA. All comments received will be 

posted without change. Persons 

submitting comments are cautioned that 

we do not redact or edit personal 

identifying information from comment 

submissions. You should submit only 

information that you wish to make 

available publicly. All submissions 

should refer to File Number SR–FINRA– 

2022–007 and should be submitted on 

or before May 5, 2022. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.32

Jill M. Peterson, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2022–07946 Filed 4–13–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[Investment Company Act Release No. 

34556; File No. 812–15255] 

Stellus Capital Investment 

Corporation, et al. 

April 11, 2022. 

AGENCY: Securities and Exchange 

Commission (‘‘Commission’’). 

ACTION: Notice. 

Notice of application for an order 

(‘‘Order’’) under sections 17(d) and 57(i) 

of the Investment Company Act of 1940 

(the ‘‘Act’’) and rule 17d–1 under the 

Act to permit certain joint transactions 

otherwise prohibited by sections 17(d) 

and 57(a)(4) of the Act and rule 17d–1 

under the Act. 

SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: Applicants 

request an Order to permit certain 

business development companies 

(‘‘BDCs’’) and certain closed-end 

management investment companies to 

co-invest in portfolio companies with 

each other and with affiliated 

investment entities. 

APPLICANTS: Stellus Capital Investment 

Corporation (the ‘‘Company’’); Stellus 

Private Credit BDC (the ‘‘SPBDC’’); 

Stellus Credit Master Fund I, LLC, 

Stellus Credit VCOC Fund I, LLC, 

Stellus Credit Master Fund II, LLC, 

Stellus Credit VCOC Fund II, LLC, 

Stellus Credit VCOC Fund III, LLC, 

Stellus Credit Master Fund III, LLC, 

Stellus Senior Secured Loan Fund, LLC, 

Stellus Credit Funds Investor A, LLC, 

and Stellus Credit Funds Investor B, LP 

(collectively, ‘‘Existing Affiliated 

Funds’’); Stellus Capital SBIC LP, 

Stellus Capital SBIC GP, LLC, SCIC– 

Consolidated Blocker 1, Inc., SCIC–CC 

Blocker 1, Inc., SCIC–ERC Blocker 1, 

Inc., SCIC–SKP Blocker 1, Inc., SCIC– 

APE Blocker 1, Inc., SCIC–HUF Blocker 

1, Inc., SCIC–Hollander Blocker 1, Inc., 

Stellus Capital SBIC II, LP, SCIC– 

Invincible Blocker 1, Inc., SCIC–FBO 

Blocker 1, Inc., SCIC–ICD Blocker 1, 

Inc., SCIC–Venbrook Blocker 1, Inc., 

PBDC Consolidated Blocker, LLC 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2022 / Notices 22251 

1 ‘‘Regulated Funds’’ means the Company, 

SPBDC, the Future Regulated Funds and the BDC 

Downstream Funds. ‘‘Future Regulated Fund’’ 

means a closed-end management investment 

company (a) that is registered under the Act or has 

elected to be regulated as a BDC, (b) whose 

investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if any) are 

an Adviser, and (c) that intends to participate in the 

Co-Investment Program. ‘‘BDC Downstream Fund’’ 

means, with respect to any Regulated Fund that is 

a BDC, an entity (i) that the BDC directly or 

indirectly controls, (ii) that is not controlled by any 

person other than the BDC (except a person that 

indirectly controls the entity solely because it 

controls the BDC), (iii) that would be an investment 

company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act, 

(iv) whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), 

if any) are an Adviser, (v) that is not a WhollyOwned Investment Sub (defined below), and (vi) 

that intends to participate in the Co-Investment 

Program. ‘‘Adviser’’ means SCM and SPBDC 

Advisor together with any future investment 

adviser that (i) controls, is controlled by or is under 

common control with SCM, (ii) (a) is registered as 

an investment adviser under the Investment 

Advisers Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’) or (b) is 

an exempt reporting adviser pursuant to rule 

203(m) of the Advisers Act, and (iii) is not a 

Regulated Fund or a subsidiary of a Regulated 

Fund. 

2 ‘‘Affiliated Fund’’ means the Existing Affiliated 

Funds, any Future Affiliated Fund or any Stellus 

Proprietary Account. Applicants represent that no 

Existing Affiliated Fund is a BDC Downstream 

Fund. ‘‘Future Affiliated Fund’’ means any entity 

(a) whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if 

any) are an Adviser, (b) that would be an 

investment company but for section 3(c)(1), 

3(c)(5)(C) or 3(c)(7) of the Act, (c) that intends to 

participate in the Co-Investment Program, and (d) 

that is not a BDC Downstream Fund. ‘‘Stellus 

Proprietary Account’’ means any account of an 

Adviser or its affiliates or any company that is an 

indirect, wholly- or majority-owned subsidiary of 

an Adviser or its affiliates, which, from time to 

time, may hold various financial assets in a 

principal capacity. 

3All existing entities that currently intend to rely 

on the Order have been named as Applicants and 

any existing or future entities that may rely on the 

Order in the future will comply with the terms and 

Conditions set forth in the application. 

4Stellus Capital Investment Corporation, et al., 

Investment Company Act Rel. Nos. 33289 (Nov. 6, 

2018)(notice) and 33316 (Dec. 4, 2018)(order) 

(‘‘Prior Order’’). 

5Section 2(a)(48) defines a BDC to be any closedend investment company that operates for the 

purpose of making investments in securities 

described in section 55(a)(1) through 55(a)(3) and 

makes available significant managerial assistance 

with respect to the issuers of such securities. 

6 ‘‘Board’’ means (i) with respect to a Regulated 

Fund other than a BDC Downstream Fund, the 

board of directors (or the equivalent) of the 

Regulated Fund and (ii) with respect to a BDC 

Downstream Fund, the Independent Party of the 

BDC Downstream Fund. 

7 ‘‘Independent Director’’ means a member of the 

Board of any relevant entity who is not an 

‘‘interested person’’ as defined in section 2(a)(19) of 

the Act. No Independent Director of a Regulated 

Fund (including any non-interested member of an 

Independent Party) will have a financial interest in 

any Co-Investment Transaction, other than 

indirectly through share ownership in one of the 

Regulated Funds. ‘‘Independent Party’’ means, with 

respect to a BDC Downstream Fund, (i) if the BDC 

Downstream Fund has a board of directors (or the 

equivalent), the board or (ii) if the BDC Downstream 

Fund does not have a board of directors (or the 

equivalent), a transaction committee or advisory 

committee of the BDC Downstream Fund. 

(collectively, ‘‘Existing Wholly-Owned 

Subsidiaries’’); Stellus Capital 

Management, LLC (‘‘SCM’’); and Stellus 

Private BDC Advisor, LLC (‘‘SPBDC 

Advisor’’ and collectively with the 

Company, SPBDC, the Existing 

Affiliated Funds, the Existing WhollyOwned Subsidiaries, and SCM, the 

‘‘Applicants’’). 

FILING DATES: The application was filed 

on August 12, 2021 and amended on 

February 18, 2022, March 21, 2022, and 

April 6, 2022. 

HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: 

An order granting the requested relief 

will be issued unless the Commission 

orders a hearing. Interested persons may 

request a hearing by emailing the 

Commission’s Secretary at SecretarysOffice@sec.gov and serving applicants 

with a copy of the request by email, if 

an email address is listed for the 

relevant Applicant below, or personally 

or by mail, if a physical address is listed 

for the relevant Applicant below. 

Hearing requests should be received by 

the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on May 6, 

2022, and should be accompanied by 

proof of service on Applicants, in the 

form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a 

certificate of service. Pursuant to rule 0– 

5 under the Act, hearing requests should 

state the nature of the writer’s interest, 

any facts bearing upon the desirability 

of a hearing on the matter, the reason for 

the request, and the issues contested. 

Persons who wish to be notified of a 

hearing may request notification by 

emailing the Commission’s Secretary at 

Secretarys-Office@sec.gov. 

ADDRESSES: The Commission: 

Secretarys-Office@sec.gov. Applicants: 

Robert T. Ladd, Stellus Capital 

Investment Corporation, rladd@

stelluscapital.com; Anne Oberndorf, 

anneoberndorf@evershedssutherland.com; Stephani Hildebrandt, 

stephanihildebrandt@evershedssutherland.com; Daniel Wolman, 

danielwolman@evershedssutherland.com. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Taylor Evenson, Senior Counsel, at 

(202) 551–6719, or Marc Mehrespand, 

Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6825 (Chief 

Counsel’s Office, Division of Investment 

Management). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For 

Applicants’ representations, legal 

analysis, and conditions, please refer to 

Applicants’ third amended and restated 

application, dated April 6, 2022, which 

may be obtained via the Commission’s 

website by searching for the file number 

at the top of this document, or for an 

Applicant using the Company name 

search field, on the SEC’s EDGAR 

system. The SEC’s EDGAR system may 

be searched at https://www.sec.gov/ 

edgar/searchedgar/legacy/ 

companysearch.html. You may also call 

the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 

(202) 551–8090. 

Introduction 

1. The Applicants request an Order of 

the Commission under sections 17(d) 

and 57(i) of the Act and rule 17d–1 

under the Act to permit, subject to the 

terms and conditions set forth in the 

application (the ‘‘Conditions’’), one or 

more Regulated Funds 1 (including one 

or more BDC Downstream Funds) and/ 

or one or more Affiliated Funds 2 to 

enter into Co-Investment Transactions 

with each other. ‘‘Co-Investment 

Transaction’’ means any transaction in 

which one or more Regulated Funds (or 

its Wholly-Owned Investment Sub) 

participated together with one or more 

Affiliated Funds and/or one or more 

other Regulated Funds in reliance on 

the Order. ‘‘Potential Co-Investment 

Transaction’’ means any investment 

opportunity in which a Regulated Fund 

(or its Wholly-Owned Investment Sub) 

could not participate together with one 

or more Affiliated Funds and/or one or 

more other Regulated Funds without 

obtaining and relying on the Order.3

2. The Order sought by the 

application would supersede the Prior 

Order (as defined below) issued by the 

Commission to Stellus Capital 

Investment Corporation, et al. on 

December 4, 2018, 4 with the result that 

no person will continue to rely on the 

Prior Order if the Order is granted. 

Applicants 

3. The Company is a closed-end 

management investment company 

incorporated in Maryland that has 

elected to be regulated as a BDC under 

the Act.5 The Company’s Board 6

currently consists of five members, of 

which three members are Independent 

Directors.7

4. SPBDC is a closed-end management 

investment company organized as a 

Delaware statutory trust that has elected 

to be regulated as a BDC under the Act. 

SPBDC’s Board currently consists of five 

members, of which three members are 

Independent Directors. 

5. SPBDC Advisor, a Delaware limited 

liability company that is registered 

under the Advisers Act, serves as the 

investment adviser to SPBDC pursuant 

to an investment advisory agreement. 

6. SCM, a Delaware limited liability 

company that is registered under the 

Advisers Act, serves as the investment 

adviser to the Company pursuant to an 

investment advisory agreement. SCM 


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22252 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2022 / Notices 

8 ‘‘Wholly-Owned Investment Sub’’ means an 

entity (i) that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a 

Regulated Fund (with such Regulated Fund at all 

times holding, beneficially and of record, 95% or 

more of the voting and economic interests); (ii) 

whose sole business purpose is to hold one or more 

investments on behalf of such Regulated Fund (and, 

in the case of a SBIC Subsidiary (defined below), 

maintains a license under the SBA Act (defined 

below) and issues debentures guaranteed by the 

SBA (defined below)); (iii) with respect to which 

such Regulated Fund’s Board has the sole authority 

to make all determinations with respect to the 

entity’s participation under the Conditions; and (iv) 

(A) that would be an investment company but for 

section 3(c)(1), 3(c)(5)(C), or 3(c)(7) of the Act, or 

(B) that qualifies as a real estate investment trust 

within the meaning of Section 856 of the Internal 

Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, because 

substantially all of its assets would consist of real 

properties. ‘‘SBIC Subsidiary’’ means a WhollyOwned Investment Sub that is licensed by the 

Small Business Administration (the ‘‘SBA’’) to 

operate under the Small Business Investment Act of 

1958, as amended, (the ‘‘SBA Act’’) as a small 

business investment company. The Existing 

Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries are Wholly-Owned 

Investment Subs. 

9 ‘‘Objectives and Strategies’’ means (i) with 

respect to any Regulated Fund other than a BDC 

Downstream Fund, its investment objectives and 

strategies, as described in its most current 

registration statement on Form N–2 or Form 10, 

other current filings with the Commission under the 

Securities Act of 1933 (the ‘‘Securities Act’’) or 

under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 

amended, and its most current report to 

stockholders and (ii) with respect to any BDC 

Downstream Fund, those investment objectives and 

strategies described in its disclosure documents 

(including private placement memoranda and 

reports to equity holders) and organizational 

documents (including operating agreements). 

10 ‘‘Board-Established Criteria’’ means criteria 

that the Board of a Regulated Fund may establish 

from time to time to describe the characteristics of 

Potential Co-Investment Transactions regarding 

which the Adviser to such Regulated Fund should 

be notified under Condition 1. The BoardEstablished Criteria will be consistent with the 

Regulated Fund’s Objectives and Strategies. If no 

Board-Established Criteria are in effect, then the 

Regulated Fund’s Adviser will be notified of all 

Potential Co-Investment Transactions that fall 

within the Regulated Fund’s then-current 

Objectives and Strategies. Board-Established 

Criteria will be objective and testable, meaning that 

they will be based on observable information, such 

as industry/sector of the issuer, minimum EBITDA 

of the issuer, asset class of the investment 

opportunity or required commitment size, and not 

on characteristics that involve a discretionary 

assessment. The Adviser to the Regulated Fund may 

from time to time recommend criteria for the 

Board’s consideration, but Board-Established 

Criteria will only become effective if approved by 

a majority of the Independent Directors. The 

Independent Directors of a Regulated Fund may at 

any time rescind, suspend or qualify their approval 

of any Board-Established Criteria, though 

Applicants anticipate that, under normal 

circumstances, the Board would not modify these 

criteria more often than quarterly. 

11The reason for any such adjustment to a 

proposed order amount will be documented in 

writing and preserved in the records of each 

Adviser. 

12 ‘‘Required Majority’’ means a required 

majority, as defined in section 57(o) of the Act. In 

the case of a Regulated Fund that is a registered 

closed-end fund, the Board members that make up 

the Required Majority will be determined as if the 

Regulated Fund were a BDC subject to section 57(o). 

In the case of a BDC Downstream Fund with a board 

of directors (or the equivalent), the members that 

make up the Required Majority will be determined 

as if the BDC Downstream Fund were a BDC subject 

to section 57(o). In the case of a BDC Downstream 

Fund with a transaction committee or advisory 

committee, the committee members that make up 

the Required Majority will be determined as if the 

BDC Downstream Fund were a BDC subject to 

section 57(o) and as if the committee members were 

directors of the fund. 

13Each Adviser will maintain records of all 

proposed order amounts, Internal Orders and 

also serves as investment adviser to 

each Existing Affiliated Fund. 

7. Applicants represent that each 

Existing Affiliated Fund is a separate 

and distinct legal entity and each would 

be an investment company but for 

section 3(c)(1), 3(c)(5)(C) or 3(c)(7) of the 

Act. 

8. Applicants state that a Regulated 

Fund may, from time to time, form one 

or more Wholly-Owned Investment 

Subs.8 Such a subsidiary may be 

prohibited from investing in a CoInvestment Transaction with a 

Regulated Fund (other than its parent) 

or any Affiliated Fund because it would 

be a company controlled by its parent 

Regulated Fund for purposes of section 

57(a)(4) and rule 17d–1. Applicants 

request that each Wholly-Owned 

Investment Sub be permitted to 

participate in Co-Investment 

Transactions in lieu of the applicable 

parent Regulated Fund that owns it and 

that the Wholly-Owned Investment 

Sub’s participation in any such 

transaction be treated, for purposes of 

the Order, as though the parent 

Regulated Fund were participating 

directly. 

Applicants’ Representations 

A. Allocation Process 

9. Applicants represent that the 

Advisors have established processes for 

allocating initial investment 

opportunities, opportunities for 

subsequent investments in an issuer and 

dispositions of securities holdings 

reasonably designed to treat all clients 

fairly and equitably. Further, Applicants 

represent that these processes will be 

extended and modified in a manner 

reasonably designed to ensure that the 

additional transactions permitted under 

the Order will both (i) be fair and 

equitable to the Regulated Funds and 

the Affiliated Funds and (ii) comply 

with the Conditions. 

10. If the requested Order is granted, 

the Advisers will establish, maintain 

and implement policies and procedures 

reasonably designed to ensure that 

when such opportunities arise, the 

Advisers to the relevant Regulated 

Funds are promptly notified and receive 

the same information about the 

opportunity as any other Adviser 

considering the opportunity for its 

clients. In particular, consistent with 

Condition 1, if a Potential CoInvestment Transaction falls within the 

then-current Objectives and Strategies 9

and any Board-Established Criteria 10 of 

a Regulated Fund, the policies and 

procedures will require that the Adviser 

to such Regulated Fund receive 

sufficient information to allow such 

Adviser’s investment committee to 

make its independent determination 

and recommendations under the 

Conditions. 

11. The Adviser to each applicable 

Regulated Fund will then make an 

independent determination of the 

appropriateness of the investment for 

the Regulated Fund in light of the 

Regulated Fund’s then-current 

circumstances. If the Adviser to a 

Regulated Fund deems the Regulated 

Fund’s participation in any Potential 

Co-Investment Transaction to be 

appropriate, it will formulate a 

recommendation regarding the proposed 

order amount for the Regulated Fund. 

12. Applicants state that, for each 

Regulated Fund and Affiliated Fund 

whose Adviser recommends 

participating in a Potential CoInvestment Transaction, such Adviser’s 

investment committee will approve an 

investment amount to be allocated to 

each Regulated Fund and/or Affiliated 

Fund participating in the Potential CoInvestment Transaction. Applicants 

state further that, each proposed order 

amount may be reviewed and adjusted, 

in accordance with the applicable 

Adviser’s written allocation policies and 

procedures, by the applicable Adviser’s 

investment committee.11 The order of a 

Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund 

resulting from this process is referred to 

as its ‘‘Internal Order.’’ The Internal 

Order will be submitted for approval by 

the Required Majority of any 

participating Regulated Funds in 

accordance with the Conditions.12

13. If the aggregate Internal Orders for 

a Potential Co-Investment Transaction 

do not exceed the size of the investment 

opportunity immediately prior to the 

submission of the orders to the 

underwriter, broker, dealer or issuer, as 

applicable (the ‘‘External Submission’’), 

then each Internal Order will be 

fulfilled as placed. If, on the other hand, 

the aggregate Internal Orders for a 

Potential Co-Investment Transaction 

exceed the size of the investment 

opportunity immediately prior to the 

External Submission, then the allocation 

of the opportunity will be made pro rata 

on the basis of the size of the Internal 

Orders.13 If, subsequent to such External 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2022 / Notices 22253 

External Submissions in conjunction with Potential 

Co-Investment Transactions. Each applicable 

Adviser will provide the Eligible Directors with 

information concerning the Affiliated Funds’ and 

Regulated Funds’ order sizes to assist the Eligible 

Directors with their review of the applicable 

Regulated Fund’s investments for compliance with 

the Conditions. ‘‘Eligible Directors’’ means, with 

respect to a Regulated Fund and a Potential CoInvestment Transaction, the members of the 

Regulated Fund’s Board eligible to vote on that 

Potential Co-Investment Transaction under section 

57(o) of the Act. 

14The Board of the Regulated Fund will then 

either approve or disapprove of the investment 

opportunity in accordance with condition 2, 6, 7, 

8 or 9, as applicable. 

15 ‘‘Follow-On Investment’’ means (i) with respect 

to a Regulated Fund, an additional investment in 

the same issuer in which the Regulated Fund is 

currently invested; or (ii) with respect to an 

Affiliated Fund, (X) an additional investment in the 

same issuer in which the Affiliated Fund and at 

least one Regulated Fund are currently invested; or 

(Y) an investment in an issuer in which at least one 

Regulated Fund is currently invested but in which 

the Affiliated Fund does not currently have an 

investment. An investment in an issuer includes, 

but is not limited to, the exercise of warrants, 

conversion privileges or other rights to purchase 

securities of the issuer. 

16 ‘‘Pre-Boarding Investments’’ are investments in 

an issuer held by a Regulated Fund as well as one 

or more Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other 

Regulated Funds that were acquired prior to 

participating in any Co-Investment Transaction: (i) 

In transactions in which the only term negotiated 

by or on behalf of such funds was price in reliance 

on one of the JT No-Action Letters (defined below); 

or (ii) in transactions occurring at least 90 days 

apart and without coordination between the 

Regulated Fund and any Affiliated Fund or other 

Regulated Fund. 

17A ‘‘Pro Rata Follow-On Investment’’ is a 

Follow-On Investment (i) in which the participation 

of each Affiliated Fund and each Regulated Fund 

is proportionate to its outstanding investments in 

the issuer or security, as appropriate, immediately 

preceding the Follow-On Investment, and (ii) in the 

case of a Regulated Fund, a majority of the Board 

has approved the Regulated Fund’s participation in 

the pro rata Follow-On Investments as being in the 

best interests of the Regulated Fund. The Regulated 

Fund’s Board may refuse to approve, or at any time 

rescind, suspend or qualify, its approval of Pro Rata 

Follow-On Investments, in which case all 

subsequent Follow-On Investments will be 

submitted to the Regulated Fund’s Eligible Directors 

in accordance with Condition 8(c). 

18A ‘‘Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investment’’ is a 

Follow-On Investment in which a Regulated Fund 

participates together with one or more Affiliated 

Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds 

(i) in which the only term negotiated by or on behalf 

of the funds is price and (ii) with respect to which, 

if the transaction were considered on its own, the 

funds would be entitled to rely on one of the JT NoAction Letters. ‘‘JT No-Action Letters’’ means SMC 

Capital, Inc., SEC No-Action Letter (pub. avail. 

Sept. 5, 1995) and Massachusetts Mutual Life 

Insurance Company, SEC No-Action Letter (pub. 

avail. June 7, 2000). 

19 ‘‘Disposition’’ means the sale, exchange or 

other disposition of an interest in a security of an 

issuer. 

20However, with respect to an issuer, if a 

Regulated Fund’s first Co-Investment Transaction is 

an Enhanced Review Disposition, and the Regulated 

Fund does not dispose of its entire position in the 

Enhanced Review Disposition, then before such 

Regulated Fund may complete its first Standard 

Review Follow-On in such issuer, the Eligible 

Directors must review the proposed Follow-On 

Investment not only on a stand-alone basis but also 

in relation to the total economic exposure in such 

issuer (i.e., in combination with the portion of the 

Pre-Boarding Investment not disposed of in the 

Enhanced Review Disposition), and the other terms 

of the investments. This additional review is 

required because such findings were not required 

in connection with the prior Enhanced Review 

Disposition, but they would have been required had 

the first Co-Investment Transaction been an 

Enhanced Review Follow-On. 

21A ‘‘Pro Rata Disposition’’ is a Disposition (i) in 

which the participation of each Affiliated Fund and 

each Regulated Fund is proportionate to its 

outstanding investment in the security subject to 

Disposition immediately preceding the Disposition; 

and (ii) in the case of a Regulated Fund, a majority 

of the Board has approved the Regulated Fund’s 

participation in pro rata Dispositions as being in the 

best interests of the Regulated Fund. The Regulated 

Fund’s Board may refuse to approve, or at any time 

rescind, suspend or qualify, its approval of Pro Rata 

Dispositions, in which case all subsequent 

Dispositions will be submitted to the Regulated 

Fund’s Eligible Directors. 

22 ‘‘Tradable Security’’ means a security that 

meets the following criteria at the time of 

Disposition: (i) It trades on a national securities 

exchange or designated offshore securities market 

as defined in rule 902(b) under the Securities Act; 

(ii) it is not subject to restrictive agreements with 

Continued 

Submission, the size of the opportunity 

is increased or decreased, or if the terms 

of such opportunity, or the facts and 

circumstances applicable to the 

Regulated Funds’ or the Affiliated 

Funds’ consideration of the opportunity, 

change, the participants will be 

permitted to submit revised Internal 

Orders in accordance with written 

allocation policies and procedures that 

the Advisers will establish, implement 

and maintain.14

B. Follow-On Investments 

14. Applicants state that from time to 

time the Regulated Funds and Affiliated 

Funds may have opportunities to make 

Follow-On Investments 15 in an issuer in 

which a Regulated Fund and one or 

more other Regulated Funds and/or 

Affiliated Funds previously have 

invested. 

15. Applicants propose that FollowOn Investments would be divided into 

two categories depending on whether 

the prior investment was a CoInvestment Transaction or a PreBoarding Investment.16 If the Regulated 

Funds and Affiliated Funds have 

previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to 

the issuer, then the terms and approval 

of the Follow-On Investment would be 

subject to the Standard Review FollowOns described in Condition 8. If the 

Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 

have not previously participated in a 

Co-Investment Transaction with respect 

to the issuer but hold a Pre-Boarding 

Investment, then the terms and approval 

of the Follow-On Investment would be 

subject to the Enhanced-Review FollowOns described in Condition 9. All 

Enhanced Review Follow-Ons require 

the approval of the Required Majority. 

For a given issuer, the participating 

Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 

need to comply with the requirements 

of Enhanced-Review Follow-Ons only 

for the first Co-Investment Transaction. 

Subsequent Co-Investment Transactions 

with respect to the issuer would be 

governed by the requirements of 

Standard Review Follow-Ons. 

16. A Regulated Fund would be 

permitted to invest in Standard Review 

Follow-Ons either with the approval of 

the Required Majority under Condition 

8(c) or without Board approval under 

Condition 8(b) if it is (i) a Pro Rata 

Follow-On Investment 17 or (ii) a NonNegotiated Follow-On Investment.18

Applicants believe that these Pro Rata 

and Non-Negotiated Follow-On 

Investments do not present a significant 

opportunity for overreaching on the part 

of any Adviser and thus do not warrant 

the time or the attention of the Board. 

Pro Rata Follow-On Investments and 

Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investments 

remain subject to the Board’s periodic 

review in accordance with Condition 

10. 

C. Dispositions 

17. Applicants propose that 

Dispositions 19 would be divided into 

two categories. If the Regulated Funds 

and Affiliated Funds holding 

investments in the issuer have 

previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to 

the issuer, then the terms and approval 

of the Disposition would be subject to 

the Standard Review Dispositions 

described in Condition 6. If the 

Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 

have not previously participated in a 

Co-Investment Transaction with respect 

to the issuer but hold a Pre-Boarding 

Investment, then the terms and approval 

of the Disposition would be subject to 

the Enhanced Review Dispositions 

described in Condition 7. Subsequent 

Dispositions with respect to the same 

issuer would be governed by Condition 

6 under the Standard Review 

Dispositions.20

18. A Regulated Fund may participate 

in a Standard Review Disposition either 

with the approval of the Required 

Majority under Condition 6(d) or 

without Board approval under 

Condition 6(c) if (i) the Disposition is a 

Pro Rata Disposition 21 or (ii) the 

securities are Tradable Securities 22 and 


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the issuer or other security holders; and (iii) it 

trades with sufficient volume and liquidity 

(findings as to which are documented by the 

Advisers to any Regulated Funds holding 

investments in the issuer and retained for the life 

of the Regulated Fund) to allow each Regulated 

Fund to dispose of its entire position remaining 

after the proposed Disposition within a short period 

of time not exceeding 30 days at approximately the 

value (as defined by section 2(a)(41) of the Act) at 

which the Regulated Fund has valued the 

investment. 

the Disposition meets the other 

requirements of Condition 6(c)(ii). Pro 

Rata Dispositions and Dispositions of a 

Tradable Security remain subject to the 

Board’s periodic review in accordance 

with Condition 10. 

D. Delayed Settlement 

19. Applicants represent that under 

the terms and Conditions of the 

application, all Regulated Funds and 

Affiliated Funds participating in a CoInvestment Transaction will invest at 

the same time, for the same price and 

with the same terms, conditions, class, 

registration rights and any other rights, 

so that none of them receives terms 

more favorable than any other. 

However, the settlement date for an 

Affiliated Fund in a Co-Investment 

Transaction may occur up to ten 

business days after the settlement date 

for the Regulated Fund, and vice versa. 

Nevertheless, in all cases, (i) the date on 

which the commitment of the Affiliated 

Funds and Regulated Funds is made 

will be the same even where the 

settlement date is not and (ii) the 

earliest settlement date and the latest 

settlement date of any Affiliated Fund 

or Regulated Fund participating in the 

transaction will occur within ten 

business days of each other. 

E. Holders 

20. Under Condition 15, if an Adviser, 

its principals, or any person controlling, 

controlled by, or under common control 

with the Adviser or its principals, and 

the Affiliated Funds (collectively, the 

‘‘Holders’’) own in the aggregate more 

than 25 percent of the outstanding 

voting shares of a Regulated Fund (the 

‘‘Shares’’), then the Holders will vote 

such Shares as directed by an 

independent third party when voting on 

matters specified in the Condition. 

Applicants’ Legal Analysis 

1. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 

17d–1 under the Act prohibit 

participation by a registered investment 

company and an affiliated person in any 

‘‘joint enterprise or other joint 

arrangement or profit-sharing plan,’’ as 

defined in the rule, without prior 

approval by the Commission by order 

upon application. Section 17(d) of the 

Act and rule 17d–1 under the Act are 

applicable to Regulated Funds that are 

registered closed-end investment 

companies. 

2. Similarly, with regard to BDCs, 

section 57(a)(4) of the Act generally 

prohibits certain persons specified in 

section 57(b) from participating in joint 

transactions with the BDC or a company 

controlled by the BDC in contravention 

of rules as prescribed by the 

Commission. Section 57(i) of the Act 

provides that, until the Commission 

prescribes rules under section 57(a)(4), 

the Commission’s rules under section 

17(d) of the Act applicable to registered 

closed-end investment companies will 

be deemed to apply to transactions 

subject to section 57(a)(4). Because the 

Commission has not adopted any rules 

under section 57(a)(4), rule 17d–1 also 

applies to joint transactions with 

Regulated Funds that are BDCs. 

3. Co-Investment Transactions are 

prohibited by either or both of rule 17d– 

1 and section 57(a)(4) without a prior 

exemptive order of the Commission to 

the extent that the Affiliated Funds and 

the Regulated Funds participating in 

such transactions fall within the 

category of persons described by rule 

17d–1 and/or section 57(b), as 

applicable, vis-a`-vis each participating 

Regulated Fund. Each of the 

participating Regulated Funds and 

Affiliated Funds may be deemed to be 

affiliated persons vis-a`-vis a Regulated 

Fund within the meaning of section 

2(a)(3) by reason of common control 

because (i) SCM manages and may be 

deemed to control the Existing 

Affiliated Funds, (ii) an Adviser will 

manage and may be deemed to control 

any Future Affiliated Fund, (iii) SCM 

manages and may be deemed to control 

the Company pursuant to its investment 

advisory agreement, (iv) SPBDC Advisor 

manages and may be deemed to control 

SPBDC pursuant to its investment 

advisory agreement (v) any future 

Regulated Fund will be managed by and 

may be deemed to be controlled by an 

Adviser, (vi) each BDC Downstream 

Fund will be deemed to be controlled by 

its BDC parent and/or its BDC parent’s 

investment adviser and (vii) the 

Advisers are under common control. 

Thus, each of the Affiliated Funds could 

be deemed to be a person related to the 

Regulated Funds that are BDCs, 

including the Company and SPBDC and 

any BDC Downstream Fund, in a 

manner described by section 57(b) and 

related to Future Regulated Funds that 

are registered investment companies in 

a manner described by rule 17d–1; and 

therefore the prohibitions of rule 17d– 

1 and section 57(a)(4) would apply 

respectively to prohibit the Affiliated 

Funds from participating in CoInvestment Transactions with the 

Regulated Funds. Each Regulated Fund 

would also be related to each other 

Regulated Fund in a manner described 

by section 57(b) or rule 17d–1, as 

applicable, and thus prohibited from 

participating in Co-Investment 

Transactions with each other. Further, 

because the Wholly-Owned Investment 

Subs are controlled by the Regulated 

Funds, the Wholly-Owned Investment 

Subs are subject to section 57(a)(4) (or 

section 17(d) in the case of WhollyOwned Investment Subs controlled by 

Regulated Funds that are registered 

under the Act), and thus also subject to 

the provisions of rule 17d–1, and 

therefore would be prohibited from 

participating in Co-Investment 

Transactions. In addition, because the 

Stellus Proprietary Accounts are or will 

be directly or indirectly controlled by an 

Adviser or its affiliates and, therefore, 

may be under common control with the 

Company, SPBDC, any future Advisers, 

and any Future Regulated Funds, the 

Stellus Proprietary Accounts could be 

deemed to be persons related to the 

Regulated Funds (or a company 

controlled by the Regulated Funds) in a 

manner described by section 57(b) and 

also prohibited from participating in the 

Co-Investment Program. 

4. In passing upon applications under 

rule 17d–1, the Commission considers 

whether the company’s participation in 

the joint transaction is consistent with 

the provisions, policies, and purposes of 

the Act and the extent to which such 

participation is on a basis different from 

or less advantageous than that of other 

participants. 

5. Applicants state that in the absence 

of the requested relief, in many 

circumstances the Regulated Funds 

would be limited in their ability to 

participate in attractive and appropriate 

investment opportunities. Applicants 

state that, as required by rule 17d–1(b), 

the Conditions ensure that the terms on 

which Co-Investment Transactions may 

be made will be consistent with the 

participation of the Regulated Funds 

being on a basis that it is neither 

different from nor less advantageous 

than other participants, thus protecting 

the equity holders of any participant 

from being disadvantaged. Applicants 

further state that the Conditions ensure 

that all Co-Investment Transactions are 

reasonable and fair to the Regulated 

Funds and their shareholders and do 

not involve overreaching by any person 

concerned, including the Advisers. 

Applicants state that the Regulated 

Funds’ participation in the CoInvestment Transactions in accordance 

with the Conditions will be consistent 


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23For example, procuring the Regulated Fund’s 

investment in a Potential Co-Investment 

Transaction to permit an affiliate to complete or 

obtain better terms in a separate transaction would 

constitute an indirect financial benefit. 

24This exception applies only to Follow-On 

Investments by a Regulated Fund in issuers in 

which that Regulated Fund already holds 

investments. 

25 ‘‘Related Party’’ means (i) any Close Affiliate 

and (ii) in respect of matters as to which any 

Adviser has knowledge, any Remote Affiliate. 

‘‘Close Affiliate’’ means the Advisers, the Regulated 

Funds, the Affiliated Funds and any other person 

described in section 57(b) (after giving effect to rule 

57b–1) in respect of any Regulated Fund (treating 

any registered investment company or series thereof 

as a BDC for this purpose) except for limited 

partners included solely by reason of the reference 

in section 57(b) to section 2(a)(3)(D). ‘‘Remote 

Affiliate’’ means any person described in section 

57(e) in respect of any Regulated Fund (treating any 

registered investment company or series thereof as 

a BDC for this purpose) and any limited partner 

Continued 

with the provisions, policies, and 

purposes of the Act and would be done 

in a manner that is not different from, 

or less advantageous than, that of other 

participants. 

Applicants’ Conditions 

Applicants agree that the Order will 

be subject to the following Conditions: 

1. Identification and Referral of 

Potential Co-Investment Transactions. 

(a) The Advisers will establish, 

maintain and implement policies and 

procedures reasonably designed to 

ensure that each Adviser is promptly 

notified of all Potential Co-Investment 

Transactions that fall within the thencurrent Objectives and Strategies and 

Board-Established Criteria of any 

Regulated Fund the Adviser manages. 

(b) When an Adviser to a Regulated 

Fund is notified of a Potential CoInvestment Transaction under 

Condition 1(a), the Adviser will make 

an independent determination of the 

appropriateness of the investment for 

the Regulated Fund in light of the 

Regulated Fund’s then-current 

circumstances. 

2. Board Approvals of Co-Investment 

Transactions. 

(a) If the Adviser deems a Regulated 

Fund’s participation in any Potential 

Co-Investment Transaction to be 

appropriate for the Regulated Fund, it 

will then determine an appropriate level 

of investment for the Regulated Fund. 

(b) If the aggregate amount 

recommended by the Advisers to be 

invested in the Potential Co-Investment 

Transaction by the participating 

Regulated Funds and any participating 

Affiliated Funds, collectively, exceeds 

the amount of the investment 

opportunity, the investment opportunity 

will be allocated among them pro rata 

based on the size of the Internal Orders, 

as described in section III.A.1.b. of the 

application. Each Adviser to a 

participating Regulated Fund will 

promptly notify and provide the Eligible 

Directors with information concerning 

the Affiliated Funds’ and Regulated 

Funds’ order sizes to assist the Eligible 

Directors with their review of the 

applicable Regulated Fund’s 

investments for compliance with these 

Conditions. 

(c) After making the determinations 

required in Condition 1(b) above, each 

Adviser to a participating Regulated 

Fund will distribute written information 

concerning the Potential Co-Investment 

Transaction (including the amount 

proposed to be invested by each 

participating Regulated Fund and each 

participating Affiliated Fund) to the 

Eligible Directors of its participating 

Regulated Fund(s) for their 

consideration. A Regulated Fund will 

enter into a Co-Investment Transaction 

with one or more other Regulated Funds 

or Affiliated Funds only if, prior to the 

Regulated Fund’s participation in the 

Potential Co-Investment Transaction, a 

Required Majority concludes that: 

(i) The terms of the transaction, 

including the consideration to be paid, 

are reasonable and fair to the Regulated 

Fund and its equity holders and do not 

involve overreaching in respect of the 

Regulated Fund or its equity holders on 

the part of any person concerned; 

(ii) the transaction is consistent with: 

(A) The interests of the Regulated 

Fund’s equity holders; and 

(B) the Regulated Fund’s then-current 

Objectives and Strategies; 

(iii) the investment by any other 

Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated Fund(s) 

would not disadvantage the Regulated 

Fund, and participation by the 

Regulated Fund would not be on a basis 

different from, or less advantageous 

than, that of any other Regulated 

Fund(s) or Affiliated Fund(s) 

participating in the transaction; 

provided that the Required Majority 

shall not be prohibited from reaching 

the conclusions required by this 

Condition 2(c)(iii) if: 

(A) The settlement date for another 

Regulated Fund or an Affiliated Fund in 

a Co-Investment Transaction is later 

than the settlement date for the 

Regulated Fund by no more than ten 

business days or earlier than the 

settlement date for the Regulated Fund 

by no more than ten business days, in 

either case, so long as: (x) The date on 

which the commitment of the Affiliated 

Funds and Regulated Funds is made is 

the same; and (y) the earliest settlement 

date and the latest settlement date of 

any Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund 

participating in the transaction will 

occur within ten business days of each 

other; or 

(B) any other Regulated Fund or 

Affiliated Fund, but not the Regulated 

Fund itself, gains the right to nominate 

a director for election to a portfolio 

company’s board of directors, the right 

to have a board observer or any similar 

right to participate in the governance or 

management of the portfolio company 

so long as: (x) The Eligible Directors will 

have the right to ratify the selection of 

such director or board observer, if any; 

(y) the Adviser agrees to, and does, 

provide periodic reports to the 

Regulated Fund’s Board with respect to 

the actions of such director or the 

information received by such board 

observer or obtained through the 

exercise of any similar right to 

participate in the governance or 

management of the portfolio company; 

and (z) any fees or other compensation 

that any other Regulated Fund or 

Affiliated Fund or any affiliated person 

of any other Regulated Fund or 

Affiliated Fund receives in connection 

with the right of one or more Regulated 

Funds or Affiliated Funds to nominate 

a director or appoint a board observer or 

otherwise to participate in the 

governance or management of the 

portfolio company will be shared 

proportionately among any participating 

Affiliated Funds (who may, in turn, 

share their portion with their affiliated 

persons) and any participating 

Regulated Fund(s) in accordance with 

the amount of each such party’s 

investment; and 

(iv) the proposed investment by the 

Regulated Fund will not involve 

compensation, remuneration or a direct 

or indirect 23 financial benefit to the 

Advisers, any other Regulated Fund, the 

Affiliated Funds or any affiliated person 

of any of them (other than the parties to 

the Co-Investment Transaction), except 

(A) to the extent permitted by Condition 

14, (B) to the extent permitted by 

section 17(e) or 57(k), as applicable, (C) 

indirectly, as a result of an interest in 

the securities issued by one of the 

parties to the Co-Investment 

Transaction, or (D) in the case of fees or 

other compensation described in 

Condition 2(c)(iii)(B)(z). 

3. Right to Decline. Each Regulated 

Fund has the right to decline to 

participate in any Potential CoInvestment Transaction or to invest less 

than the amount proposed. 

4. General Limitation. Except for 

Follow-On Investments made in 

accordance with Conditions 8 and 9 

below,24 a Regulated Fund will not 

invest in reliance on the Order in any 

issuer in which a Related Party has an 

investment.25


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holding 5% or more of the relevant limited partner 

interests that would be a Close Affiliate but for the 

exclusion in that definition. 

26Any Stellus Proprietary Account that is not 

advised by an Adviser is itself deemed to be an 

Adviser for purposes of conditions 6(a)(i), 7(a)(i), 

8(a)(i) and 9(a)(i). 

27 In the case of any Disposition, proportionality 

will be measured by each participating Regulated 

Fund’s and Affiliated Fund’s outstanding 

investment in the security in question immediately 

preceding the Disposition. 

28 In determining whether a holding is 

‘‘immaterial’’ for purposes of the Order, the 

Required Majority will consider whether the nature 

and extent of the interest in the transaction or 

arrangement is sufficiently small that a reasonable 

person would not believe that the interest affected 

the determination of whether to enter into the 

transaction or arrangement or the terms of the 

transaction or arrangement. 

5. Same Terms and Conditions. A 

Regulated Fund will not participate in 

any Potential Co-Investment 

Transaction unless (i) the terms, 

conditions, price, class of securities to 

be purchased, date on which the 

commitment is entered into and 

registration rights (if any) will be the 

same for each participating Regulated 

Fund and Affiliated Fund and (ii) the 

earliest settlement date and the latest 

settlement date of any participating 

Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will 

occur as close in time as practicable and 

in no event more than ten business days 

apart. The grant to one or more 

Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds, 

but not the respective Regulated Fund, 

of the right to nominate a director for 

election to a portfolio company’s board 

of directors, the right to have an 

observer on the board of directors or 

similar rights to participate in the 

governance or management of the 

portfolio company will not be 

interpreted so as to violate this 

Condition 5, if Condition 2(c)(iii)(B) is 

met. 

6. Standard Review Dispositions. 

(a) General. If any Regulated Fund or 

Affiliated Fund elects to sell, exchange 

or otherwise dispose of an interest in a 

security and one or more Regulated 

Funds and Affiliated Funds have 

previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to 

the issuer, then: 

(i) The Adviser to such Regulated 

Fund or Affiliated Fund 26 will notify 

each Regulated Fund that holds an 

investment in the issuer of the proposed 

Disposition at the earliest practical time; 

and 

(ii) the Adviser to each Regulated 

Fund that holds an investment in the 

issuer will formulate a recommendation 

as to participation by such Regulated 

Fund in the Disposition. 

(b) Same Terms and Conditions. Each 

Regulated Fund will have the right to 

participate in such Disposition on a 

proportionate basis, at the same price 

and on the same terms and conditions 

as those applicable to the Affiliated 

Funds and any other Regulated Fund. 

(c) No Board Approval Required. A 

Regulated Fund may participate in such 

a Disposition without obtaining prior 

approval of the Required Majority if: 

(i) (A) The participation of each 

Regulated Fund and Affiliated Fund in 

such Disposition is proportionate to its 

then-current holding of the security (or 

securities) of the issuer that is (or are) 

the subject of the Disposition; 27 (B) the 

Board of the Regulated Fund has 

approved as being in the best interests 

of the Regulated Fund the ability to 

participate in such Dispositions on a pro 

rata basis (as described in greater detail 

in the application); and (C) the Board of 

the Regulated Fund is provided on a 

quarterly basis with a list of all 

Dispositions made in accordance with 

this Condition; or 

(ii) each security is a Tradable 

Security and (A) the Disposition is not 

to the issuer or any affiliated person of 

the issuer; and (B) the security is sold 

for cash in a transaction in which the 

only term negotiated by or on behalf of 

the participating Regulated Funds and 

Affiliated Funds is price. 

(d) Standard Board Approval. In all 

other cases, the Adviser will provide its 

written recommendation as to the 

Regulated Fund’s participation to the 

Eligible Directors and the Regulated 

Fund will participate in such 

Disposition solely to the extent that a 

Required Majority determines that it is 

in the Regulated Fund’s best interests. 

7. Enhanced Review Dispositions. 

(a) General. If any Regulated Fund or 

Affiliated Fund elects to sell, exchange 

or otherwise dispose of a Pre-Boarding 

Investment in a Potential Co-Investment 

Transaction and the Regulated Funds 

and Affiliated Funds have not 

previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to 

the issuer: 

(i) The Adviser to such Regulated 

Fund or Affiliated Fund will notify each 

Regulated Fund that holds an 

investment in the issuer of the proposed 

Disposition at the earliest practical time; 

(ii) the Adviser to each Regulated 

Fund that holds an investment in the 

issuer will formulate a recommendation 

as to participation by such Regulated 

Fund in the Disposition; and 

(iii) the Advisers will provide to the 

Board of each Regulated Fund that 

holds an investment in the issuer all 

information relating to the existing 

investments in the issuer of the 

Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds, 

including the terms of such investments 

and how they were made, that is 

necessary for the Required Majority to 

make the findings required by this 

Condition. 

(b) Enhanced Board Approval. The 

Adviser will provide its written 

recommendation as to the Regulated 

Fund’s participation to the Eligible 

Directors, and the Regulated Fund will 

participate in such Disposition solely to 

the extent that a Required Majority 

determines that: 

(i) The Disposition complies with 

Condition 2(c)(i), (ii), (iii)(A), and (iv); 

and 

(ii) the making and holding of the PreBoarding Investments were not 

prohibited by section 57 or rule 17d–1, 

as applicable, and records the basis for 

the finding in the Board minutes. 

(c) Additional Requirements. The 

Disposition may only be completed in 

reliance on the Order if: 

(i) Same Terms and Conditions. Each 

Regulated Fund has the right to 

participate in such Disposition on a 

proportionate basis, at the same price 

and on the same terms and conditions 

as those applicable to the Affiliated 

Funds and any other Regulated Fund; 

(ii) Original Investments. All of the 

Affiliated Funds’ and Regulated Funds’ 

investments in the issuer are PreBoarding Investments; 

(iii) Advice of counsel. Independent 

counsel to the Board advises that the 

making and holding of the investments 

in the Pre-Boarding Investments were 

not prohibited by section 57 (as 

modified by rule 57b–1) or rule 17d–1, 

as applicable; 

(iv) Multiple Classes of Securities. All 

Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 

that hold Pre-Boarding Investments in 

the issuer immediately before the time 

of completion of the Co-Investment 

Transaction hold the same security or 

securities of the issuer. For the purpose 

of determining whether the Regulated 

Funds and Affiliated Funds hold the 

same security or securities, they may 

disregard any security held by some but 

not all of them if, prior to relying on the 

Order, the Required Majority is 

presented with all information 

necessary to make a finding, and finds, 

that: (x) Any Regulated Fund’s or 

Affiliated Fund’s holding of a different 

class of securities (including for this 

purpose a security with a different 

maturity date) is immaterial 28 in 

amount, including immaterial relative to 

the size of the issuer; and (y) the Board 

records the basis for any such finding in 

its minutes. In addition, securities that 

differ only in respect of issuance date, 


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29To the extent that a Follow-On Investment 

opportunity is in a security or arises in respect of 

a security held by the participating Regulated 

Funds and Affiliated Funds, proportionality will be 

measured by each participating Regulated Fund’s 

and Affiliated Fund’s outstanding investment in the 

security in question immediately preceding the 

Follow-On Investment using the most recent 

available valuation thereof. To the extent that a 

Follow-On Investment opportunity relates to an 

opportunity to invest in a security that is not in 

respect of any security held by any of the 

participating Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds, 

proportionality will be measured by each 

participating Regulated Fund’s and Affiliated 

Fund’s outstanding investment in the issuer 

immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment 

using the most recent available valuation thereof. 

currency, or denominations may be 

treated as the same security; and 

(v) No control. The Affiliated Funds, 

the other Regulated Funds and their 

affiliated persons (within the meaning 

of section 2(a)(3)(C) of the Act), 

individually or in the aggregate, do not 

control the issuer of the securities 

(within the meaning of section 2(a)(9) of 

the Act). 

8. Standard Review Follow-Ons. 

(a) General. If any Regulated Fund or 

Affiliated Fund desires to make a 

Follow-On Investment in an issuer and 

the Regulated Funds and Affiliated 

Funds holding investments in the issuer 

previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to 

the issuer: 

(i) The Adviser to each such 

Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will 

notify each Regulated Fund that holds 

securities of the portfolio company of 

the proposed transaction at the earliest 

practical time; and 

(ii) the Adviser to each Regulated 

Fund that holds an investment in the 

issuer will formulate a recommendation 

as to the proposed participation, 

including the amount of the proposed 

investment, by such Regulated Fund. 

(b) No Board Approval Required. A 

Regulated Fund may participate in the 

Follow-On Investment without 

obtaining prior approval of the Required 

Majority if: 

(i) (A) The proposed participation of 

each Regulated Fund and each 

Affiliated Fund in such investment is 

proportionate to its outstanding 

investments in the issuer or the security 

at issue, as appropriate,29 immediately 

preceding the Follow-On Investment; 

and (B) the Board of the Regulated Fund 

has approved as being in the best 

interests of the Regulated Fund the 

ability to participate in Follow-On 

Investments on a pro rata basis (as 

described in greater detail in the 

application); or 

(ii) it is a Non-Negotiated Follow-On 

Investment. 

(c) Standard Board Approval. In all 

other cases, the Adviser will provide its 

written recommendation as to the 

Regulated Fund’s participation to the 

Eligible Directors and the Regulated 

Fund will participate in such Follow-On 

Investment solely to the extent that a 

Required Majority makes the 

determinations set forth in Condition 

2(c). If the only previous Co-Investment 

Transaction with respect to the issuer 

was an Enhanced Review Disposition 

the Eligible Directors must complete 

this review of the proposed Follow-On 

Investment both on a stand-alone basis 

and together with the Pre-Boarding 

Investments in relation to the total 

economic exposure and other terms of 

the investment. 

(d) Allocation. If, with respect to any 

such Follow-On Investment: 

(i) The amount of the opportunity 

proposed to be made available to any 

Regulated Fund is not based on the 

Regulated Funds’ and the Affiliated 

Funds’ outstanding investments in the 

issuer or the security at issue, as 

appropriate, immediately preceding the 

Follow-On Investment; and 

(ii) the aggregate amount 

recommended by the Advisers to be 

invested in the Follow-On Investment 

by the participating Regulated Funds 

and any participating Affiliated Funds, 

collectively, exceeds the amount of the 

investment opportunity, 

then the Follow-On Investment 

opportunity will be allocated among 

them pro rata based on the size of the 

Internal Orders, as described in section 

III.A.1.b. of the application. 

(e) Other Conditions. The acquisition 

of Follow-On Investments as permitted 

by this Condition will be considered a 

Co-Investment Transaction for all 

purposes and subject to the other 

Conditions set forth in the application. 

9. Enhanced Review Follow-Ons. 

(a) General. If any Regulated Fund or 

Affiliated Fund desires to make a 

Follow-On Investment in an issuer that 

is a Potential Co-Investment Transaction 

and the Regulated Funds and Affiliated 

Funds holding investments in the issuer 

have not previously participated in a 

Co-Investment Transaction with respect 

to the issuer: 

(i) The Adviser to each such 

Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will 

notify each Regulated Fund that holds 

securities of the portfolio company of 

the proposed transaction at the earliest 

practical time; 

(ii) the Adviser to each Regulated 

Fund that holds an investment in the 

issuer will formulate a recommendation 

as to the proposed participation, 

including the amount of the proposed 

investment, by such Regulated Fund; 

and 

(iii) the Advisers will provide to the 

Board of each Regulated Fund that 

holds an investment in the issuer all 

information relating to the existing 

investments in the issuer of the 

Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds, 

including the terms of such investments 

and how they were made, that is 

necessary for the Required Majority to 

make the findings required by this 

Condition. 

(b) Enhanced Board Approval. The 

Adviser will provide its written 

recommendation as to the Regulated 

Fund’s participation to the Eligible 

Directors, and the Regulated Fund will 

participate in such Follow-On 

Investment solely to the extent that a 

Required Majority reviews the proposed 

Follow-On Investment both on a standalone basis and together with the PreBoarding Investments in relation to the 

total economic exposure and other 

terms and makes the determinations set 

forth in Condition 2(c). In addition, the 

Follow-On Investment may only be 

completed in reliance on the Order if 

the Required Majority of each 

participating Regulated Fund 

determines that the making and holding 

of the Pre-Boarding Investments were 

not prohibited by section 57 (as 

modified by rule 57b–1) or rule 17d–1, 

as applicable. The basis for the Board’s 

findings will be recorded in its minutes. 

(c) Additional Requirements. The 

Follow-On Investment may only be 

completed in reliance on the Order if: 

(i) Original Investments. All of the 

Affiliated Funds’ and Regulated Funds’ 

investments in the issuer are PreBoarding Investments; 

(ii) Advice of counsel. Independent 

counsel to the Board advises that the 

making and holding of the investments 

in the Pre-Boarding Investments were 

not prohibited by section 57 (as 

modified by rule 57b–1) or rule 17d–1, 

as applicable; 

(iii) Multiple Classes of Securities. All 

Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 

that hold Pre-Boarding Investments in 

the issuer immediately before the time 

of completion of the Co-Investment 

Transaction hold the same security or 

securities of the issuer. For the purpose 

of determining whether the Regulated 

Funds and Affiliated Funds hold the 

same security or securities, they may 

disregard any security held by some but 

not all of them if, prior to relying on the 

Order, the Required Majority is 

presented with all information 

necessary to make a finding, and finds, 

that: (x) Any Regulated Fund’s or 

Affiliated Fund’s holding of a different 

class of securities (including for this 

purpose a security with a different 

maturity date) is immaterial in amount, 


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22258 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2022 / Notices 

30Applicants are not requesting and the 

Commission is not providing any relief for 

transaction fees received in connection with any 

Co-Investment Transaction. 

including immaterial relative to the size 

of the issuer; and (y) the Board records 

the basis for any such finding in its 

minutes. In addition, securities that 

differ only in respect of issuance date, 

currency, or denominations may be 

treated as the same security; and 

(iv) No control. The Affiliated Funds, 

the other Regulated Funds and their 

affiliated persons (within the meaning 

of section 2(a)(3)(C) of the Act), 

individually or in the aggregate, do not 

control the issuer of the securities 

(within the meaning of section 2(a)(9) of 

the Act). 

(d) Allocation. If, with respect to any 

such Follow-On Investment: 

(i) The amount of the opportunity 

proposed to be made available to any 

Regulated Fund is not based on the 

Regulated Funds’ and the Affiliated 

Funds’ outstanding investments in the 

issuer or the security at issue, as 

appropriate, immediately preceding the 

Follow-On Investment; and 

(ii) the aggregate amount 

recommended by the Advisers to be 

invested in the Follow-On Investment 

by the participating Regulated Funds 

and any participating Affiliated Funds, 

collectively, exceeds the amount of the 

investment opportunity, 

then the Follow-On Investment 

opportunity will be allocated among 

them pro rata based on the size of the 

Internal Orders, as described in section 

III.A.1.b. of the application. 

(e) Other Conditions. The acquisition 

of Follow-On Investments as permitted 

by this Condition will be considered a 

Co-Investment Transaction for all 

purposes and subject to the other 

Conditions set forth in the application. 

10. Board Reporting, Compliance and 

Annual Re-Approval. 

(a) Each Adviser to a Regulated Fund 

will present to the Board of each 

Regulated Fund, on a quarterly basis, 

and at such other times as the Board 

may request, (i) a record of all 

investments in Potential Co-Investment 

Transactions made by any of the other 

Regulated Funds or any of the Affiliated 

Funds during the preceding quarter that 

fell within the Regulated Fund’s thencurrent Objectives and Strategies and 

Board-Established Criteria that were not 

made available to the Regulated Fund, 

and an explanation of why such 

investment opportunities were not made 

available to the Regulated Fund; (ii) a 

record of all Follow-On Investments in 

and Dispositions of investments in any 

issuer in which the Regulated Fund 

holds any investments by any Affiliated 

Fund or other Regulated Fund during 

the prior quarter; and (iii) all 

information concerning Potential CoInvestment Transactions and CoInvestment Transactions, including 

investments made by other Regulated 

Funds or Affiliated Funds that the 

Regulated Fund considered but declined 

to participate in, so that the 

Independent Directors, may determine 

whether all Potential Co-Investment 

Transactions and Co-Investment 

Transactions during the preceding 

quarter, including those investments 

that the Regulated Fund considered but 

declined to participate in, comply with 

the Conditions. 

(b) All information presented to the 

Regulated Fund’s Board pursuant to this 

Condition will be kept for the life of the 

Regulated Fund and at least two years 

thereafter, and will be subject to 

examination by the Commission and its 

staff. 

(c) Each Regulated Fund’s chief 

compliance officer, as defined in rule 

38a–1(a)(4), will prepare an annual 

report for its Board each year that 

evaluates (and documents the basis of 

that evaluation) the Regulated Fund’s 

compliance with the terms and 

Conditions of the application and the 

procedures established to achieve such 

compliance. In the case of a BDC 

Downstream Fund that does not have a 

chief compliance officer, the chief 

compliance officer of the BDC that 

controls the BDC Downstream Fund will 

prepare the report for the relevant 

Independent Party. 

(d) The Independent Directors will 

consider at least annually whether 

continued participation in new and 

existing Co-Investment Transactions is 

in the Regulated Fund’s best interests. 

11. Record Keeping. Each Regulated 

Fund will maintain the records required 

by section 57(f)(3) of the Act as if each 

of the Regulated Funds were a BDC and 

each of the investments permitted under 

these Conditions were approved by the 

Required Majority under section 57(f). 

12. Director Independence. No 

Independent Director (including the 

non-interested members of any 

Independent Party) of a Regulated Fund 

will also be a director, general partner, 

managing member or principal, or 

otherwise be an ‘‘affiliated person’’ (as 

defined in the Act) of any Affiliated 

Fund. 

13. Expenses. The expenses, if any, 

associated with acquiring, holding or 

disposing of any securities acquired in 

a Co-Investment Transaction (including, 

without limitation, the expenses of the 

distribution of any such securities 

registered for sale under the Securities 

Act) will, to the extent not payable by 

the Advisers under their respective 

advisory agreements with the Regulated 

Funds and the Affiliated Funds, be 

shared by the Regulated Funds and the 

participating Affiliated Funds in 

proportion to the relative amounts of the 

securities held or being acquired or 

disposed of, as the case may be. 

14. Transaction Fees.30 Any 

transaction fee (including break-up, 

structuring, monitoring or commitment 

fees but excluding brokerage or 

underwriting compensation permitted 

by section 17(e) or 57(k)) received in 

connection with any Co-Investment 

Transaction will be distributed to the 

participants on a pro rata basis based on 

the amounts they invested or 

committed, as the case may be, in such 

Co-Investment Transaction. If any 

transaction fee is to be held by an 

Adviser pending consummation of the 

transaction, the fee will be deposited 

into an account maintained by the 

Adviser at a bank or banks having the 

qualifications prescribed in section 

26(a)(1), and the account will earn a 

competitive rate of interest that will also 

be divided pro rata among the 

participants. None of the Advisers, the 

Affiliated Funds, the other Regulated 

Funds or any affiliated person of the 

Affiliated Funds or the Regulated Funds 

will receive any additional 

compensation or remuneration of any 

kind as a result of or in connection with 

a Co-Investment Transaction other than 

(i) in the case of the Regulated Funds 

and the Affiliated Funds, the pro rata 

transaction fees described above and 

fees or other compensation described in 

Condition 2(c)(iii)(B)(z), (ii) brokerage or 

underwriting compensation permitted 

by section 17(e) or 57(k) or (iii) in the 

case of the Advisers, investment 

advisory compensation paid in 

accordance with investment advisory 

agreements between the applicable 

Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated Fund(s) 

and its Adviser. 

15. Independence. If the Holders own 

in the aggregate more than 25 percent of 

the Shares of a Regulated Fund, then the 

Holders will vote such Shares in the 

same percentages as the Regulated 

Fund’s other shareholders (not 

including the Holders) when voting on 

(1) the election of directors; (2) the 

removal of one or more directors; or (3) 

any other matter under either the Act or 

applicable State law affecting the 

Board’s composition, size or manner of 

election. 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2022 / Notices 22259 

1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). 

2 17 CFR 240.19b–4. 

3 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii). 

4 17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(6). 

5See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 94441 

(March 16, 2022) (SR–NYSE–2021–40). 

6See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67090 

(May 31, 2012), 77 FR 33531 (June 6, 2012) (SR– 

BATS–2011–038; SR–BYX–2011–025; SR–BX– 

2011–068; SR–CBOE–2011–087; SR–C2–2011–024; 

SR–CHX–2011–30; SR–EDGA–2011–31; SR–EDGX– 

2011–30; SR–FINRA–2011–054; SR–ISE–2011–61; 

SR–NASDAQ–2011–131; SR–NSX–2011–11; SR– 

NYSE–2011–48; SR–NYSEAmex–2011–73; SR– 

NYSEArca–2011–68; SR–Phlx–2011–129) (‘‘Pilot 

Rules Approval Order’’). 

7The rules of the equity options exchanges 

similarly provide for a halt in trading if the cash 

equity exchanges invoke a MWCB Halt. See, e.g., 

NYSE Arca Rule 6.65–O(d)(4). 

8See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 67091 

(May 31, 2012), 77 FR 33498 (June 6, 2012). The 

LULD Plan provides a mechanism to address 

extraordinary market volatility in individual 

securities. 

9See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 

67090 (May 31, 2012), 77 FR 33531 (June 6, 2012) 

(SR–NYSE–2011–48) (Approval Order); and 68784 

(January 31, 2013), 78 FR 8662 (February 6, 2013) 

(SR–NYSE–2013–10). 

10See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 85623 

(April 11, 2019), 84 FR 16086 (April 17, 2019). 

11See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release No. 

85560 (April 9, 2019), 84 FR 15247 (April 15, 2019) 

(SR–NYSE–2019–19). 

12See Securities Exchange Release No. 88806 

(May 4, 2020), 85 FR 27451 (May 8, 2020). 

13See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 90159 

(October 13, 2020), 85 FR 66373 (October 19, 2020) 

(SR–MEMX–2020–12). 

14See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 93362 

(October 15, 2021), 86 FR 58364 (October 21, 2021) 

(SR–MEMX–2021–14). 

15See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 94449 

(March 17, 2022), 87 FR 16535 (March 23, 2022) 

(SR–MEMX–2022–04). 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Investment Management, under delegated 

authority. 

J. Matthew DeLesDernier, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2022–08058 Filed 4–13–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[Release No. 34–94657; File No. SR–MEMX– 

2022–08] 

Self-Regulatory Organizations; MEMX 

LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate 

Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule 

Change To Adopt on a Permanent 

Basis the Pilot Program for MarketWide Circuit Breakers 

April 8, 2022. 

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the 

‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2

notice is hereby given that on April 7, 

2022, MEMX LLC (‘‘MEMX’’ or the 

‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities 

and Exchange Commission (the 

‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule 

change as described in Items I and II 

below, which Items have been prepared 

by the Exchange. The Exchange filed the 

proposal as a ‘‘non-controversial’’ 

proposed rule change pursuant to 

Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act 3 and 

Rule 19b–4(f)(6) thereunder.4 The 

Commission is publishing this notice to 

solicit comments on the proposed rule 

change from interested persons. 

I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Terms of Substance of 

the Proposed Rule Change 

The Exchange is filing with the 

Commission a proposed rule change to 

make permanent the pilot program 

related to the market-wide circuit 

breaker in Rule 11.16. The text of the 

proposed rule change is provided in 

Exhibit 5. 

II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

In its filing with the Commission, the 

Exchange included statements 

concerning the purpose of and basis for 

the proposed rule change and discussed 

any comments it received on the 

proposed rule change. The text of these 

statements may be examined at the 

places specified in Item IV below. The 

Exchange has prepared summaries, set 

forth in sections A, B, and C below, of 

the most significant aspects of such 

statements. 

A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s 

Statement of the Purpose of, and 

Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule 

Change 

1. Purpose 

On March 16, 2022, the Commission 

approved the proposal of the New York 

Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘NYSE’’), to adopt 

on a permanent basis the pilot program 

for Market-Wide Circuit Breakers 

(‘‘MWCB’’) in NYSE Rule 7.12.5 The 

Exchange now proposes to adopt the 

same change to make permanent the 

pilot program related to the market-wide 

circuit breaker in Rule 11.16. 

The Pilot Rules 

The MWCB rules, which for the 

Exchange are contained in Exchange 

Rule 11.16, provide an important, 

automatic mechanism that is invoked to 

promote stability and investor 

confidence during periods of significant 

stress when cash equities securities 

experience extreme market-wide 

declines. The MWCB rules are designed 

to slow the effects of extreme price 

declines through coordinated trading 

halts across both cash equity and equity 

options securities markets. 

The cash equities rules governing 

MWCBs were first adopted in 1988 and, 

in 2012, all U.S. cash equity exchanges 

and FINRA amended their cash equities 

uniform rules on a pilot basis (the ‘‘Pilot 

Rules,’’ i.e., Rule 11.16(a)–(d), (f)–(g)).6

The Pilot Rules currently provide for 

trading halts in all cash equity securities 

during a severe market decline as 

measured by a single-day decline in the 

S&P 500 Index (‘‘SPX’’).7 Under the 

Pilot Rules, a market-wide trading halt 

will be triggered if SPX declines in price 

by specified percentages from the prior 

day’s closing price of that index. The 

triggers are set at three circuit breaker 

thresholds: 7% (Level 1), 13% (Level 2), 

and 20% (Level 3). A market decline 

that triggers a Level 1 or Level 2 halt 

after 9:30 a.m. and before 3:25 p.m. 

would halt market-wide trading for 15 

minutes, while a similar market decline 

at or after 3:25 p.m. would not halt 

market-wide trading. (Level 1 and Level 

2 halts may occur only once a day.) A 

market decline that triggers a Level 3 

halt at any time during the trading day 

would halt market-wide trading for the 

remainder of the trading day. 

The Commission approved the Pilot 

Rules, the term of which was to 

coincide with the pilot period for the 

Plan to Address Extraordinary Market 

Volatility Pursuant to Rule 608 of 

Regulation NMS (the ‘‘LULD Plan’’),8

including any extensions to the pilot 

period for the LULD Plan.9 In April 

2019, the Commission approved an 

amendment to the LULD Plan for it to 

operate on a permanent, rather than 

pilot, basis.10 In conjunction with the 

proposal to make the LULD Plan 

permanent, all U.S. cash equity 

exchanges and FINRA filed to untie the 

Pilot Rules’ effectiveness from that of 

the LULD Plan and to extend the Pilot 

Rules’ effectiveness to the close of 

business on October 18, 2019.11 On May 

4, 2020, the Commission approved 

MEMX’s Form 1 Application to register 

as a national securities exchange with 

rules including, on a pilot basis expiring 

on October 18, 2020, the Pilot Rules.12

The Exchange subsequently amended 

Rule 11.16 to extend the Pilot Rules’ 

effectiveness for an additional year to 

the close of business on October 18, 

2021,13 March 18, 2022,14 and April 18, 

2022.15

The MWCB Working Group Study 

Beginning in February 2020, at the 

outset of the COVID–19 pandemic, the 

markets experienced increased 

volatility, culminating in four MWCB 


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