BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation Closes Private Offering of $100M of Unsecured Convertible Senior Notes

BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation BKCC ("BlackRock Kelso Capital" or the "Company") announced that it has closed a private offering (the "Offering") of $100 million in aggregate principal amount of its 5.50% unsecured convertible senior notes due 2018 (the “Notes”). Net proceeds to the Company from the Offering are approximately $96.7 million. The Company has also granted the initial purchasers of the Notes an option to purchase up to an additional $15 million in aggregate principal amount of the Notes to cover overallotments, if any. The Notes will only be offered to qualified institutional buyers as defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. The Notes are unsecured and bear interest at a rate of 5.50% per year, payable semiannually in arrears. In certain circumstances and during certain periods, the Notes are convertible into cash, shares of BlackRock Kelso Capital's common stock or a combination of cash and shares of BlackRock Kelso Capital's common stock, at BlackRock Kelso Capital's election, at an initial conversion rate of 86.0585 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes, which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $11.62 per share of BlackRock Kelso Capital's common stock, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. BlackRock Kelso Capital does not have the right to redeem the Notes prior to maturity. The Notes mature on February 15, 2018, unless repurchased or converted in accordance with their terms prior to such date. BlackRock Kelso Capital expects to use the net proceeds of this offering to reduce outstanding borrowings and for general corporate purposes, including investing in portfolio companies in accordance with its investment objective. Neither the Notes nor the shares of common stock that may be issued upon conversion are registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. Neither the Notes nor the common stock that may be issued upon conversion may be offered or sold in the United States absent the registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. This press release is not an offer to sell any securities of the Company and is not soliciting an offer to buy such securities in any state where such offer and sale is not permitted.