Exhibit 14.1
JOINT CODE OF ETHICS
FOR
PENNANTPARK INVESTMENT CORPORATION
PENNANTPARK FLOATING RATE CAPITAL LTD.
PENNANTPARK INVESTMENT ADVISERS, LLC
Section I Statement of General Fiduciary Principles
This Joint Code of Ethics (the “Code”) has been adopted by each of PennantPark Investment Corporation, PennantPark Floating Rate Capital, Ltd. (each individually, the “Corporation”), and PennantPark Investment Advisers, LLC, the Corporations’ investment adviser (the “Adviser”), in compliance with Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”) and Section 204A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”). The purpose of the Code is to establish standards and procedures for the detection and prevention of activities by which persons having knowledge of the investments and investment intentions of the Corporations may abuse their fiduciary duty to the Corporations, and otherwise to deal with the types of conflict-of-interest situations to which Rule 17j-1 under the Act (“Rule 17j-1”) is addressed. As it relates to Section 204A of the Advisers Act, the purpose of this Code is to establish procedures that, taking into consideration the nature of the Adviser’s business, are reasonably designed to prevent misuse of material non-public information in violation of the federal securities laws by persons associated with the Adviser.
The Code is based on the principle that the directors and officers of the Corporations, and the managers, partners, officers and employees of the Adviser, who provide services to the Corporations, owe a fiduciary duty to the Corporations to conduct their personal securities transactions in a manner that does not interfere with the Corporations’ transactions or otherwise take unfair advantage of their relationship with the Corporations. All directors, managers, partners, officers and employees of the Corporations, and the Adviser (“Covered Personnel”) are expected to adhere to this general principle as well as to comply with all of the specific provisions of this Code that are applicable to them. Any Covered Personnel who is affiliated with another entity that is a registered investment adviser is, in addition, expected to comply with the provisions of the code of ethics that has been adopted by such other investment adviser.
Technical compliance with the Code will not automatically insulate any Covered Personnel from scrutiny of transactions that show a pattern of compromise or abuse of the individual’s fiduciary duty to the Corporation. Accordingly, all Covered Personnel must seek to avoid any actual or potential conflicts between their personal interests and the interests of the Corporation and its shareholders. In sum, all Covered Personnel shall place the interests of the Corporation before their own personal interests.
All Covered Personnel must read and retain this Code.
Section II Definitions
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Section III Objective and General Prohibitions
Covered Personnel may not engage in any investment transaction under circumstances in which the Covered Personnel benefits from or interferes with the purchase or sale of investments by the Corporation. In addition, Covered Personnel may not use information concerning the investments or investment intentions of the Corporation, or their ability to influence such investment intentions, for personal gain or in a manner detrimental to the interests of the Corporation.
Covered Personnel may not engage in conduct that is deceitful, fraudulent or manipulative, or that involves false or misleading statements, in connection with the purchase or sale of investments by the Corporation. In this regard, Covered Personnel should recognize that Rule 17j1 makes it unlawful for any affiliated person of the Corporation, or any affiliated person of an investment adviser for the Corporation, in connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, by the person of a Security Held or to be Acquired by the Corporation to:
Covered Personnel should also recognize that a violation of this Code or of Rule 17j-1 may result in the imposition of: (1) sanctions as provided by Section VIII of this Code; or (2) administrative, civil and, in certain cases, criminal fines, sanctions or penalties.
Section IV Pre-Clearance of Personal Account Transactions; Window Period to Trade PennantPark shares
Except as noted below, all Access Persons must obtain the prior written approval of the Managing Member (or such person as the Managing Member may designate) (“Approving Officer”) before engaging in any transaction in his or her Personal Account. The Approving Officer may approve the transaction if he concludes that the transaction would comply with the provisions of this Code and is not likely to have any adverse economic impact on clients. A request for preclearance must be made by email, with a copy to the Compliance Officer, in advance of the contemplated transaction. No particular form is required, but the email must include sufficient detail for the Approving Officer to decide if a trade is permissible and a statement that the Access Person has reviewed the Pipeline Report for any conflicts.
Any approval given under this paragraph will be provided by email and will remain in effect for 72 hours.
Exceptions to the Pre-Clearance Requirement Policy,
Access Persons will be allowed to trade securities of the Corporations during a “window period” that may be announced following the release of Corporations’ earnings release. If the window is opened for trading, it will begin no earlier than the second business day after a Corporation publicly releases quarterly or annual financial results and extends no later than (i) 30 calendar days after the release of results (29 calendar days in all) or (ii) in the case of either Corporation’s and the Adviser’s decision to buy or sell the applicable Corporation’s equity securities, the end of the quarterly period during which such financial results of such Corporation have been publicly released. Note that the ability of an officer, director or other Access Person to engage in transactions in the securities of a Corporation during a window period is not automatic or absolute because no trades may be made even during a window period by an individual who possesses material, nonpublic information about the Corporation, including any decision by the Corporation to buy or sell its own shares. Further, the window period may not open in a particular quarter, and it may be closed, as the case may be, prior to the expiration of 30 days or the applicable quarter end, in each case as events require.
Additionally, Independent Directors are not required to seek preapproval for any transactions other than those which would trigger reporting requirements as set forth in Section VI (C) of this Code.
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Section V Prohibited Transactions
Corporation or within the next 15 calendar days intend to consider purchasing or selling the Covered Security for the Corporation.
Section VI Reports by Access Persons
All Access Persons shall within 10 days of the date on which they become Access Persons, and thereafter, within 30 days after the end of each calendar year, disclose the title, number of shares and principal amount of all Covered Securities in which they have a Beneficial Ownership as of the date the person became an Access Person, in the case of such person’s initial report, and as of the last day of the year, as to annual reports. A form of such report, which is hereinafter called a “Personal Securities Holdings Report,” is attached hereto as Schedule A. Each Personal Securities Holdings Report must also disclose the name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person as of the date the person became an Access Person or as of the last day of the year, as the case may be. Each Personal Securities Holdings Report shall state the date it is being submitted.
Within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each Access Person shall make a written report to the Chief Compliance Officer of all transactions occurring in the quarter in a Covered Security in which he or she had any Beneficial Ownership. A form of such report, which is hereinafter called a “Quarterly Securities Transaction Report,” is attached hereto as Schedule B.
A Quarterly Securities Transaction Report shall be in the form of Schedule B or such other form approved by the Chief Compliance Officer and must contain the following information with respect to each reportable transaction:
(C) Independent Directors.
Notwithstanding the reporting requirements set forth in this Section V, an Independent Director who would be required to make a report under this Section V solely by reason of being a director of the Corporation is not required to file a Personal Securities Holding Report upon becoming a director of the Corporation or an annual Personal Securities Holding Report. Such an Independent
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Director also need not file a Quarterly Securities Transaction Report unless such director knew or, in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a director of the Corporation, should have known that during the 15-day period immediately preceding or after the date of the transaction in a Covered Security by the director such Covered Security is or was purchased or sold by the Corporation or the Corporation or the Adviser considered purchasing or selling such Covered Security.
(D) Access Persons of the Adviser.
An Access Person of the Adviser need not make a Quarterly Transaction Report if all of the information in the report would duplicate information required to be recorded pursuant to Rules 204-2(a)(12) or (13) under the Advisers Act.
(E) Brokerage Accounts and Statements.
Access Persons, except Independent Directors, shall:
(F) Form of Reports.
A Quarterly Securities Transaction Report may consist of broker statements or other statements that provide a list of all personal Covered Securities holdings and transactions in the time period covered by the report and contain the information required in a Quarterly Securities Transaction Report.
(G) Responsibility to Report.
It is the responsibility of each Access Person to take the initiative to comply with the requirements of this Section VI. Any effort by the Corporation, or by the Adviser and its affiliates, to facilitate the reporting process does not change or alter that responsibility. A person need not make a report hereunder with respect to transactions effected for, and Covered Securities held in, any account over which the person has no direct or indirect influence or control.
All Quarterly Securities Transaction Reports and Personal Securities Holdings Reports must be filed with the Chief Compliance Officer.
Any report required by this Section VI may contain a statement that the report will not be construed as an admission that the person making the report has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership in the Covered, Security to which the report relates.
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Section VII Additional Prohibitions
Until disclosed in a public report to shareholders or to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in the normal course, all information concerning the securities “being considered for purchase or sale” by the Corporation shall be kept confidential by all Covered Personnel and disclosed by them only on a “need to know” basis. It shall be the responsibility of the Chief Compliance Officer to report any inadequacy found in this regard to the directors of the Corporation.
Access Persons may not engage in any outside business activities that may give rise to conflicts of interest or jeopardize the integrity or reputation of the Corporation. Similarly, no such outside business activities may be inconsistent with the interests of the Corporation. All directorships of public or private companies held by Access Persons shall be reported to the Chief Compliance Officer.
Covered Personnel shall not, directly or indirectly, take, accept or receive gifts or other consideration in merchandise, services or otherwise of more than nominal value from any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity other than such person’s employer that does business, or proposes to do business, with the Corporation.
Section VIII Prohibition Against Insider Trading
This Section is intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 204A of the Advisers Act, which is applicable to the Adviser and requires that the Adviser establish and enforce procedures designed to prevent the misuse of material, non-public information by its associated persons. It applies to all Advisory Persons. Trading securities while in possession of material, non-public information, or improperly communicating that information to others, may expose an Advisory
Person to severe penalties. Criminal sanctions may include a fine of up to $1,000,000 and/or ten years imprisonment. The SEC can recover the profits gained or losses avoided through the violative trading, a penalty of up to three times the illicit windfall, and an order permanently barring an Advisory Person from the securities industry. Finally, an Advisory Person may be sued by investors seeking to recover damages for insider trading violations.
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After the Chief Compliance Officer has reviewed the issue, the Chief Compliance Officer will determine whether the information is material and non-public and, if so, what action the Advisory
Person should take. An Advisory Person must consult with the Chief Compliance Officer before taking any further action. This degree of caution will protect the Advisory Person and the Adviser.
Section IX Annual Certification
Access Persons who are directors, managers, officers or employees of the Corporation or the Adviser shall be required to certify annually that they have read this Code and that they understand it and recognize that they are subject to it. Further, such Access Persons shall be required to certify annually that they have complied with the requirements of this Code.
No less frequently than annually, the Corporation and the Adviser must furnish to the Corporation’s board of directors, and the board must consider, a written report that: (1) describes any issues arising under this Code or procedures since the last report to the board, including, but not limited to, information about material violations of this Code or procedures and sanctions imposed in response to material violations; and (2) certifies that the Corporation or the Adviser, as applicable, has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating this Code.
Section X Sanctions
Any violation of this Code shall be subject to the imposition of such sanctions by the 17j-1 Organization as may be deemed appropriate under the circumstances to achieve the purposes of Rule 17j-1 and this Code. The sanctions to be imposed shall be determined by the board of directors, including a majority of the Independent Directors, provided, however, that with respect to violations by persons who are directors, managers, officers or employees of the Adviser (or of a company that controls the Adviser), the sanctions to be imposed shall be determined by the Adviser (or the controlling person thereof). Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, suspension or termination of employment, a letter of censure and/or restitution of an amount equal to the difference between the price paid or received by the Corporation and the more advantageous price paid or received by the offending person.
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Section XI Administration and Construction
(A) The administration of this Code shall be the responsibility of the Chief Compliance Officer.
(B) The duties of the Chief Compliance Officer are as follows:
(C) The Chief Financial Officer shall maintain and cause to be maintained in an easily accessible place at the principal place of business of the 17j-1 Organization, the following records:
(D) This Code may not be amended or modified except in a written form that is specifically approved by majority vote of the Independent Directors.
This Joint Code of Ethics, originally adopted December 12, 2007 and amended as of December 7, 2023, is annually reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, including a majority of the Independent Directors.
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PENNANTPARK INVESTMENT CORPORATION
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT
I. Covered Persons/Purpose of the Code
This code of business conduct (this “Code”) for PennantPark Investment Corporation (the “Corporation”) applies to the Corporation’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions (collectively, the “Covered Officers”), as well as directors, officers, and employees (collectively with the Covered Officers, the “Covered Persons”) for the purpose of promoting:
Each Covered Person should adhere to a high standard of business ethics and should be sensitive to situations that may give rise to actual as well as apparent conflicts of interest.
II. Covered Persons Should Handle Ethically Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest
A “conflict of interest” occurs when a Covered Person’s private interest interferes with the interests of, or his/her service to, the Corporation. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Person, or a member of his/her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his/her position in the Corporation.
Certain conflicts of interest arise out of the relationships between Covered Persons and the Corporation and already are subject to conflict of interest provisions in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). For example, Covered Officers may not individually engage in certain transactions (such as the purchase or sale of securities or other property) with the Corporation because of their status as “affiliated persons” of the Corporation. The Corporation’s compliance programs and procedures are designed to prevent, or identify and correct, violations of these provisions. Each Covered Officer is an employee of a service provider
(“Service Provider”) to the Corporation. Although typically not presenting an opportunity for improper personal benefit, conflicts arise from, or as a result of, the contractual relationship between the Corporation and the Service Providers of which the Covered Officers are also officers or employees. As a result, this Code recognizes that the Covered Officers will, in the normal course of their duties (whether formally for the Corporation or for the Service Provider of which the Covered Officer is an employee, or for both), be involved in establishing policies and implementing decisions which will have different effects on the Service Provider and the Corporation. The participation of the Covered Officers in such activities is inherent in the contractual relationship between the Corporation and the Service Provider and is consistent with the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as officers of the Corporation. Thus, if performed in conformity with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, such activities will be deemed to have been handled ethically. In addition, it is recognized by the Board of Directors that the Covered Officers may also be or in the future become officers or employees of one or more other investment companies covered by this or other Codes.
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Other conflicts of interest are covered by the Code, even if such conflicts of interest are not subject to provisions in the Investment Company Act. The following list provides examples of conflicts of interest under the Code, but Covered Persons should keep in mind that these examples are not exhaustive. The overarching principle is that the personal interest of a Covered Person should not be placed improperly before the interest of the Corporation.
**** Each
Covered Person must:
There are some conflict of interest situations that may be discussed with the Corporation’s Chief Compliance Officer if material. Examples of these include:1
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1 Any activity or relationship that would present a conflict for a Covered Person would likely also present a conflict for the Covered Person if a member of the Covered Person’s family engages in such an activity or has such a relationship.
III. Disclosure & Compliance
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IV. Reporting and Accountability
Each Covered Person must:
The Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for applying this Code to specific situations in which questions are presented under it and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) is responsible for granting waivers2 and determining sanctions, as appropriate, and any approvals, interpretations or waivers sought by the Corporation’s principal executive officers or directors will be considered by the Committee.
The Corporation will follow these procedures in investigating and enforcing this Code:
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2 Instruction 2 to Item 5.05 of Form 8-K defines “waiver” as “the approval by the registrant of a material departure from a provision of the code of ethics” and “implicit waiver,” which must also be disclosed, as “the registrant’s failure to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of the code of ethics that has been made known to an executive officer” of the registrant.
Please note that waivers for executive officers or directors must be promptly disclosed in Form 8-K or on the Corporation’s website within four business days.
The Committee, in determining whether waivers should be granted and whether violations have occurred, and the Chief Compliance Officer, in rendering decisions and interpretations and in conducting investigations of potential violations under the Code, may, at their discretion, consult with such other persons as they may determine to be appropriate, including, but not limited to, a senior legal officer of the Corporation or its adviser or its sub-adviser, counsel to the Corporation or the Service Provider, independent auditors or other consultants, subject to any requirement to seek pre-approval from the Corporation’s Committee for the retention of independent auditors to perform permissible non-audit services.
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An executive officer or director may request a waiver of any of the provisions of this Code by submitting a written request for such waiver to the Committee setting forth the basis for such request and explaining how the waiver would be consistent with the standards of conduct described herein. The Committee shall review such request and make a determination thereon in writing, which shall be binding.
In determining whether to waive any provisions of this Code, the Committee shall consider whether the proposed waiver is consistent with honest and ethical conduct.
The Chief Compliance Officer shall submit an annual report to the Board regarding waivers granted.
This Code will be the sole code of business conduct adopted by the Corporation for purposes of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and forms applicable to the Corporation thereunder, and Section 303A.10 of the Listed Company Manual of the NYSE. Insofar as other policies or procedures of the Corporation, the Corporation’s adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter, or the Service Providers govern or purport to govern the behavior or activities of the Covered Persons who are subject to this Code, they are superseded by this Code to the extent that they overlap or conflict with the provisions of this Code. The codes of ethics of the Corporation and their investment adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter and Service Providers under Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act are separate requirements applying to the Covered Officers and others, and are not part of this Code.
Any amendments to this Code, other than amendments to Exhibit A, must be approved or ratified by a majority vote of the Corporation’s board, including a majority of independent directors.
All reports and records prepared or maintained pursuant to this Code will be considered confidential and shall be maintained and protected accordingly. Except as otherwise required by law or this Code, such matters shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the Board and its counsel, the investment adviser and its counsel, the Service Provider of which such Covered Person is an employee or independent auditors or other consultants referred to in Section IV above.
The Code is intended solely for the internal use by the Corporation and does not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of any person, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal conclusion.
Date: December 7, 2023
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EXHIBIT A
Contact information for the Chief Compliance Officer of the Corporation and his staff;
Chief Compliance Officer: Frank Galea, CFA
Email: frank.galea@acaglobal.com
Tel: 1 (332) 262.4581
Website: www.acaglobal.com
Deputy Chief Compliance Officer: Aaron Criddle
Email: Aaron.Criddle@acaglobal.com
Tel: +1.332.262.4587
Website: www.acaglobal.com
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