Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
In accordance with Rules 13a-15(b) and 15d-15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), we, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Based on that evaluation, we, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2021 and provided reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in our periodic SEC filings is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. However, in evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, we recognize that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of such possible controls and procedures.
(b) Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reportin g
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act). The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed under the supervision of its Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) and effected by the Company’s board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of its consolidated financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect transactions and dispositions of the Company’s assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and the directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. In addition, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Management (with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer) conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021 based on the framework established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this assessment, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021 was effective.
This annual report does not include an attestation report of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm due to an exemption for emerging growth companies under the JOBS Act.
(c) Changes in Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fourth quarter of 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
On March 8, 2022, the board of directors (the “Board”) of Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp. (the “Company”) determined to conduct a follow-on offering of its shares of common stock following the end of the current fundraising period, which will end on March 13, 2022, to “accredited investors” as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act (the “Follow-on Offering”). The initial closing of the Follow-on Offering may occur at any time on or after March 14, 2022 (the “Initial Closing”) and the Company expects to hold additional closings until the conclusion of the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2022. The Board may, in its sole discretion, extend the Follow-on Offering.
On March 8, 2022, the Company's Adviser and Sub-Adviser entered into the third amended and restated investment sub-advisory agreement (the “Third Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement”).
The terms of the Third Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement are substantially the same as the second amended and restated investment sub-advisory agreement, dated as of October 7, 2021, by and between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, except for the allocation of compensation between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser thereunder. Pursuant to the Third Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement, the percentage of the aggregate management and incentive fees payable by the Company to the Adviser (the “Advisory Fees”) that the Adviser is required to pay to the Sub-Adviser was reduced from 70% to 67.5%.
The Third Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement and accompanying changes in allocation of the Advisory Fees between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser will not have an economic impact on the Advisory Fees payable by the Company or result in any changes to services provided by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser to the Company. The Company’s board of directors unanimously approved the Third Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
The description above is only a summary of the material provisions of the Third Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the copy of the Third Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement, which is filed as an exhibit hereto and incorporated by reference herein.
On March 8, 2022, Christopher Rohrbacher submitted his resignation to the Board as Vice President and Assistant Secretary of the Company, effective March 18, 2022, which the Board accepted. In submitting his resignation, Mr. Rohrbacher did not express any disagreement on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
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PART III.
We will file a definitive Proxy Statement for our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders with the SEC, pursuant to Regulation 14A, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year-end, which was December 31, 2021. Accordingly, information required by Part III has been omitted under General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K. Only those sections of our definitive Proxy Statement that specifically address the items set forth herein are incorporated by reference herein.
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information required by Item 10 is hereby incorporated by reference from our definitive Proxy Statement relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year-end, which was December 31, 2021.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The information required by Item 11 is hereby incorporated by reference from our definitive Proxy Statement relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year-end, which was December 31, 2021.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The information required by Item 12 is hereby incorporated by reference from our definitive Proxy Statement relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year-end, which was December 31, 2021.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information required by Item 13 is hereby incorporated by reference from our definitive Proxy Statement relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year-end, which was December 31, 2021.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The information required by Item 14 is hereby incorporated by reference from our definitive Proxy Statement relating to our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year-end, which was December 31, 2021.
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ITEM 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
a. Documents Filed as Part of this Report
The following financial statements are set forth in Item 8 :
Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp.
Page
Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2021 and 2020
79
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
80
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
81
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
82
Consolidated Schedules of Investments as of December 31, 2021 and 2020
84
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
101
b. Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or hereby incorporated by reference to exhibits previously filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
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3.1 Articles of Amendment and Restatement (1)
3.2 Articles of Amendment (2)
3.3 Bylaws (1)
3.4 Certificate of Merger of Churchill Middle Market CLO V Ltd. (1)
4.1 Form of Subscription Agreement (1)
4.2 Form of Stock Certificate (1)
4.3 Description of Securities (7)
10.1 Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2020, by and among Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp., as the borrower, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, as the administrative agent, and the lenders. (3)
10.2 Form of Omnibus Amendment to Transaction Documents, dated as of October 28, 2020, by and among Nuveen Churchill BDC SPV I LLC, as borrower, Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp., as collateral manager and equity investor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and lender. (4)
10.3 Form of Loan and Servicing Agreement, dated November 24, 2020, by and among Nuveen Churchill BDC SPV II, LLC, as the borrower, Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp., as the servicer, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, as the administrative agent, the collateral agent, and the lender, and U.S. Bank National Association, as the collateral custodian and the account bank. (5)
10.4 Amendment No. 1 to the Loan and Servicing Agreement, dated as of December 23, 2021, by and among SPV II, as the borrower, the Company, as the servicer, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, as the administrative agent, the collateral agent, and the lender, and U.S. Bank National Association, as the collateral administrator, the collateral custodian and the account bank. (6)
14.1 Code of Ethics *
14.2 Code of Business Conduct (7)
21.1 List of Subsidiaries *
31.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended *
31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended *
32 Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended *
99.1 Third Amended and Restated Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement by and between Nuveen Churchill Advisors LLC and Churchill Asset Management LLC, dated as of March 8 , 2022 *
* Filed herewith.
(1) Previously filed on January 29, 2020 with Amendment No. 1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 10 (File No. 000-56133) and incorporated by reference herein.
(2) Previously filed on June 2, 2020 with the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.
(3) Previously filed on September 15, 2020 with the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.
(4) Previously filed on October 30, 2020 with the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.
(5) Previously filed on November 30, 2020 with the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.
(6) Previously filed on December 28, 2021 with the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.
(7) Previously filed on March 12, 2021 with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and incorporated by reference herein.
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ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Date: March 10, 2022
Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp.
By: /s/ Kenneth Kencel
Name: Kenneth Kencel
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp.
By: /s/ Shai Vichness
Name: Shai Vichness
Title: Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Date: March 10, 2022
Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending Corp.
By: /s/ Reena Aggarwal
Name: Reena Aggarwal
Title: Director
By: /s/ David Kirchheimer
Name: David Kirchheimer
Title: Director
By: /s/ Kenneth Miranda
Name: Kenneth Miranda
Title: Director
By: /s/ Michael Perry
Name: Michael Perry
Title: Director
By: /s/ Stephen Potter
Name: Stephen Potter
Title: Director
By: /s/ James Ritchie
Name: James Ritchie
Title: Director
128