We are offering $   in aggregate principal amount of   % notes due 2029, which we refer to as the Notes. The Notes will mature on   , 2029. We will pay interest on the Notes on   and   of each year, beginning on   , 2024.

We may redeem the Notes in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the redemption price set forth under the caption “Description of the Notes - Optional Redemption” in this prospectus supplement. In addition, holders of the Notes can require us to repurchase some or all of the Notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the repurchase date upon the occurrence of a “Change of Control Repurchase Event” (as defined herein). The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Notes will be our direct unsecured obligations and rank pari passu with our existing and future unsecured indebtedness but will rank senior to our future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes issued by Barings BDC, Inc. The Notes will rank effectively junior to any of our secured indebtedness (including unsecured indebtedness that we later secure) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness, and rank structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by our subsidiaries, financing vehicles or similar facilities. See “Summary of the Offering - Ranking of Notes.”

The securities in which we invest will generally not be rated by any rating agency, and if they are rated, they will be below investment grade. These securities, which may be referred to as “junk,” have predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal.

We are a closed-end, non-diversified investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company, or BDC, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or 1940 Act. We have elected for federal income tax purposes to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company, or RIC, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or Code.

We are externally managed by our investment adviser, Barings LLC, or Barings. Our investment objective is to generate current income primarily by investing directly in privately-held middle-market companies to help these companies fund acquisitions, growth or refinancing. We use the term “middle market” to refer to companies with between $10.0 million and $75.0 million in annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as adjusted, or Adjusted EBITDA. While we focus our investments in private middle-market companies, we seek to invest across various industries and in both United States-based and foreign-based companies. Barings monitors our investment portfolio to ensure we have acceptable industry balance, using industry and market metrics as key indicators. To a lesser extent, we will invest opportunistically in assets such as, without limitation, equity, special situations, structured credit (e.g., private asset-backed securities), syndicated loan opportunities, high yield investments and/or mortgage securities.

Investing in the Notes involves a high degree of risk and should be considered highly speculative. Before investing in the Notes, you should review carefully the risks and uncertainties, including the risk of leverage, described in the sections titled “Supplementary Risk Factors” beginning on page S-12 of this prospectus supplement, “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12 of the accompanying prospectus and in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, as well as under similar headings in the other documents that are filed on or after the date hereof and incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain important information about us that a prospective investor should know before investing in the Notes. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with this offering. You should carefully read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any related free writing prospectus, and any information incorporated by reference in each, before investing in the Notes and keep them for future reference. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. This information is available by written or oral request and free of charge by contacting us at Barings BDC, Inc., 300 South Tryon Street, Suite 2500, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Corporate Secretary, on our website at https://ir.barings.com/sec-filings, or by calling us at (888) 401-1088. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and you should not consider that information to be part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The SEC also maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains such information.

Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission, nor any other regulatory body, has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The public offering price set forth above does not include accrued interest, if any. Interest on the Notes will accrue from February  , 2024 and must be paid by the purchaser if the Notes are delivered after February  , 2024.

THE NOTES ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF A BANK AND ARE NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

Delivery of the Notes in book-entry form only through The Depository Trust Company will be made on or about February   , 2024 for the accounts of its participants.

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of Notes and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which provides more information about us and related matters. To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs from the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or any document filed prior to the date of this prospectus supplement and incorporated herein by reference, the information in this prospectus supplement shall control. In addition, the information in this prospectus supplement may add to, update or change the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and accordingly will supersede that information. Generally, when we refer to this “prospectus,” we are referring to both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus combined, together with any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering.

You should rely only on the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that relates to this offering of Notes. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized any other person to provide you with different information or to make representations as to matters not stated in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that relates to this offering of Notes. We take no responsibility for and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that relates to this offering of Notes do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any Notes by any person in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful for that person to make such an offer or solicitation or to any person in any jurisdiction to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in any such free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than their respective dates, or that any information incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement or sale of the Notes offered hereby.

This prospectus supplement, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, contains, and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference therein, may contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our future financial condition, business strategy, and plans and objectives of management for future operations. All statements other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our future results of operations or financial condition, business strategy and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may include statements as to:

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” or “would” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions, although not all forward-looking statements include these words or expressions. The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those implied or expressed in the forward-looking statements for any reason, including the factors set forth in “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC, and elsewhere contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. Other factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the following:

Discussions containing these forward-looking statements may be found in the sections titled “Business,” “Risk Factors,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” incorporated by reference from our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC. We discuss in greater detail, and incorporate by reference into this prospectus in their entirety, many of these risks and uncertainties in the sections titled “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, in any free writing prospectus we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering, and in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC. In addition, statements that we “believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the applicable date of this prospectus, free writing prospectus and documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry

into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless we are required to do so by law.

Investing in the Notes involves a high degree of risk. In addition to the other information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference, and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering, you should carefully consider the following supplementary risk factors together with the risk factors set forth in the accompanying prospectus and as described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, before making an investment in the Notes, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC, including our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in their entirety. The risks described in these documents are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. Past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. In such case, the market price, if any, of the Notes could decline, and you may lose part or all of your investment. Please also read carefully the section titled “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the accompanying prospectus.

The Notes will not be secured by any of our assets or any of the assets of our subsidiaries. As a result, the Notes are effectively subordinated to any secured indebtedness we or our subsidiaries have outstanding as of the date of this prospectus supplement or that we or our subsidiaries may incur in the future (or any indebtedness that is initially unsecured in respect of which we subsequently grant security) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. In any liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy or other similar proceeding, the holders of any of our existing or future secured indebtedness and the secured indebtedness of our subsidiaries may assert rights against the assets pledged to secure that indebtedness in order to receive full payment of their indebtedness before the assets may be used to pay other creditors, including the holders of the Notes. As of December 31, 2023, our total consolidated indebtedness was approximately $1,444.9 million, of which $719.9 million was secured and none of which was indebtedness of our subsidiaries. The Notes will be ranked pari passu to the $725.0 million of our outstanding unsecured senior debt, which includes the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes. As of January 31, 2024, there was approximately $1,443.4 million total consolidated indebtedness outstanding, of which $718.4 million was secured and none of which was indebtedness of our subsidiaries.

The Notes are obligations exclusively of Barings BDC, Inc. and not of any of our subsidiaries. None of our subsidiaries is a guarantor of the Notes and the Notes are not required to be guaranteed by any subsidiaries we may acquire or create in the future. Except to the extent we are a creditor with recognized claims against our subsidiaries, all claims of creditors, including trade creditors, and holders of preferred stock, if any, of our subsidiaries will have priority over our claims (and therefore the claims of our creditors, including holders of the Notes) with respect to the assets of such subsidiaries. Even if we were recognized as a creditor of one or more of our subsidiaries, our claims would still be effectively subordinated to any security interests in the assets of any such subsidiary and to any indebtedness or other liabilities of any such subsidiary senior to our claims. Consequently, the Notes will be subordinated structurally to all indebtedness and other liabilities of any of our subsidiaries and any subsidiaries that we may in the future acquire or establish as financing vehicles or otherwise. All of the existing indebtedness of our subsidiaries will be structurally senior to the Notes. In addition, our subsidiaries may incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future, all of which would be structurally senior to the Notes.

The Notes are a new issue of debt securities for which there currently is no trading market. We do not intend to list the Notes on any securities exchange or for quotation of the Notes on any automated dealer quotation system. If the Notes are traded after their initial issuance, they may trade at a discount to their initial offering price depending on prevailing interest rates, the market for similar securities, our credit ratings, our financial condition or other

relevant factors. The underwriters may discontinue any market-making in the Notes at any time at their sole discretion. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that a liquid trading market will develop for the Notes, that you will be able to sell your Notes at a particular time or that the price you receive when you sell will be favorable. To the extent an active trading market does not develop, the liquidity and trading price for the Notes may be harmed. Accordingly, you may be required to bear the financial risk of an investment in the Notes for an indefinite period of time.

The use of debt could have significant consequences on our future operations, including:

Any of the above-listed factors could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to meet our payment obligations under the Notes and our other debt.

Our ability to meet our payment and other obligations under our financing arrangements depends on our ability to generate significant cash flow in the future. This, to some extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative and regulatory factors as well as other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that our business will generate cash flow from operations, or that future borrowings will be available to us under our financing arrangements or otherwise, in an amount sufficient to enable us to meet our payment obligations under the Notes and our other debt and to fund other liquidity needs. If we are not able to generate sufficient cash flow to service our debt obligations, we may need to refinance or restructure our debt, including the Notes, sell assets, reduce or delay capital investments, or seek to raise additional capital. If we are unable to implement one or more of these alternatives, we may not be able to meet our payment obligations under the Notes and our other debt.

Our credit ratings are an assessment by rating agencies of our ability to pay our debts when due. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of the Notes. These credit ratings may not reflect the potential impact of risks relating to the structure or marketing of the Notes. Credit ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, and may be revised or withdrawn at any time by the issuing organization in its sole discretion. Neither we nor any underwriter undertakes any obligation to maintain our credit ratings or to advise holders of the Notes of any changes in our credit ratings.

The condition of the financial markets and prevailing interest rates have fluctuated in the past and are likely to fluctuate in the future, which could have an adverse effect on the market prices of the Notes. In general, as market interest rates rise, debt securities bearing interest at fixed rates of interest decline in value. Consequently, if you purchase Notes bearing interest at fixed rates and market interest rates increase, the market values of those Notes may decline. We cannot predict the future level of market interest rates.

The indenture under which the Notes will be issued offers limited protection to holders of the Notes. The terms of the indenture and the Notes do not restrict our or any of our subsidiaries’ ability to engage in, or otherwise be a

party to, a variety of corporate transactions, circumstances or events that could have an adverse impact on your investment in the Notes. In particular, the terms of the indenture and the Notes will not place any restrictions on our or our subsidiaries’ ability to:

In addition, the terms of the indenture and the Notes do not protect holders of the Notes in the event that we experience changes (including significant adverse changes) in our financial condition, results of operations or credit ratings, as they do not require that we or our subsidiaries adhere to any financial tests or ratios or specified levels of net worth, revenues, income, cash flow or liquidity other than as described under “Description of the Notes—Events of Default.”

Our ability to recapitalize, incur additional debt and take a number of other actions are not limited by the terms of the Notes and may have important consequences for you as a holder of the Notes, including making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the Notes or negatively affecting the trading value of the Notes.

Other debt we issue or incur in the future could contain more protections for its holders than the indenture and the Notes, including additional covenants and events of default. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business and Structure—Incurring additional leverage may magnify our exposure to risks associated with changes in leverage, including fluctuations in interest rates that could adversely affect our profitability” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. The issuance or incurrence of any such debt with incremental protections could affect the market for and trading levels and prices of the Notes.

The Notes are redeemable in whole or in part upon certain conditions at any time or from time to time at our option. We may choose to redeem the Notes at times when prevailing interest rates are lower than the interest rate paid on the Notes. In this circumstance, you may not be able to reinvest the redemption proceeds in a comparable security at an effective interest rate as high as the Notes being redeemed.

We may not be able to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event because we may not have sufficient funds. Upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event, holders of the Notes may require us to repurchase for cash some or all of the Notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the repurchase date. Our failure

to purchase such tendered Notes upon the occurrence of such Change of Control Repurchase Event would cause an event of default under the indenture governing the Notes and a cross-default under the agreements governing certain of our other indebtedness, which may result in the acceleration of such indebtedness requiring us to repay that indebtedness immediately. If a Change of Control Repurchase Event were to occur, we may not have sufficient funds to repay any such accelerated indebtedness and/or to make the required repurchase of the Notes. See “Description of the Notes—Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event” for additional information.

Any default under the agreements governing our indebtedness to which we may be a party that is not waived by the required lenders or debt holders, and the remedies sought by the holders of such indebtedness could make us unable to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and substantially decrease the market value of the Notes. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow and are otherwise unable to obtain funds necessary to meet required payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, or if we otherwise fail to comply with the various covenants, including financial and operating covenants, in the instruments governing our indebtedness, we could be in default under the terms of the agreements governing such indebtedness. In the event of such default, the holders of such indebtedness could elect to declare all the funds borrowed thereunder to be due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest, the lenders under the February 2019 Credit Facility or other debt we may incur in the future could elect to terminate their commitments, cease making further loans and institute foreclosure proceedings against our assets, and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. Our ability to generate sufficient cash flow in the future is, to some extent, subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative and regulatory factors as well as other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that our business will generate cash flow from operations, or that future borrowings will be available to us under the February 2019 Credit Facility or otherwise, in an amount sufficient to enable us to meet our payment obligations under the Notes and our other debt and to fund other liquidity needs.

If our operating performance declines and we are not able to generate sufficient cash flow to service our debt obligations, we may in the future need to refinance or restructure our debt, including the Notes, sell assets, reduce or delay capital investments, seek to raise additional capital or seek to obtain waivers from the required lenders under the February 2019 Credit Facility or the required holders of the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes or other debt that we may incur in the future to avoid being in default. If we are unable to implement one or more of these alternatives, we may not be able to meet our payment obligations under the Notes and our other debt. If we breach our covenants under the February 2019 Credit Facility, the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes or other debt and seek a waiver, we may not be able to obtain a waiver from the required lenders or debt holders. If this occurs, we would be in default under the February 2019 Credit Facility, the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes or other debt, the lenders or debt holders could exercise their rights as described above, and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. If we are unable to repay debt, lenders having secured obligations could proceed against the collateral securing the debt. Because the February 2019 Credit Facility and Existing Senior Unsecured Notes have, and any future credit facilities will likely have, customary cross-default provisions, if the indebtedness under the Notes, the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes, the February 2019 Credit Facility or under any future credit facility is accelerated, we may be unable to repay or finance the amounts due.

We will initially issue the Notes offered hereby in the form of one or more “global notes” registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. Beneficial interests in global notes will be shown on, and transfers of global notes will be effected only through, the records maintained by DTC. Except in limited circumstances, we will not issue certificated notes. See “Description of the Notes - Book-Entry, Settlement and Clearance.” Accordingly, if you own a beneficial interest in a global note, then you will not be considered an owner or holder of the Notes. Instead, DTC or its nominee will be the sole holder of the Notes. Payments of principal, interest and other amounts on global notes will be made to the paying agent, who will remit the payments to DTC. We expect that DTC will then credit those payments to the DTC participant accounts that hold book-entry interests in the global notes and that those participants will credit the payments to indirect DTC participants. Unlike persons who have certificated notes registered in their names, owners of beneficial interests in global notes will not have the direct right to act on our solicitations for consents or requests for waivers or other actions from holders of the Notes. Instead, those beneficial owners will be permitted to act only to the extent that they have received appropriate proxies to do so from DTC or,

if applicable, a DTC participant. The applicable procedures for the granting of these proxies may not be sufficient to enable owners of beneficial interests in global notes to vote on any requested actions on a timely basis.

Delays in investing the net proceeds raised in this offering may cause our performance to be worse than that of other fully invested BDCs or other lenders or investors pursuing comparable investment strategies. We cannot assure you that we will be able to identify investments that meet our investment objective or that any investment that we make will produce a positive return. We may be unable to invest the net proceeds of this offering on acceptable terms within the time period that we anticipate or at all, which could harm our financial condition and operating results.

We estimate that net proceeds we will receive from the sale of the Notes in this offering will be approximately $    million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses of approximately $    payable by us. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay indebtedness under the February 2019 Credit Facility. We may reborrow under our credit facilities for general corporate purposes, which include investing in portfolio companies in accordance with our investment objective.

As of January 31, 2024, the aggregate principal balance of the February 2019 Credit Facility was approximately $718.4 million. The February 2019 Credit Facility’s revolving period ends on February 21, 2025, followed by a one-year repayment period with a final maturity date of February 21, 2026. Borrowings denominated in U.S. Dollars under the February 2019 Credit Facility bear interest, subject to our election, on a per annum basis equal to (i) the alternate base rate plus 1.25% (or 1.00% for so long as we maintain an investment grade credit rating) or (ii) term SOFR plus 2.25% (or 2.00% for so long as we maintain an investment grade credit rating) plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.10% for borrowings with an interest period of one month, 0.15% for borrowings with an interest period of three months or 0.25% for borrowings with an interest period of six months. Borrowings denominated in certain foreign currencies, other than Australian dollars, bear interest on a per annum basis equal to the applicable currency rate for the foreign currency as defined in the credit agreement plus 2.00% (or 2.25% if we no longer maintain an investment grade credit rating) or for borrowings denominated in Australian dollars, the applicable Australian dollars Screen Rate, plus 2.20% (or 2.45% if we no longer maintain an investment grade credit rating). The alternate base rate is equal to the greatest of (i) the prime rate, (ii) the federal funds rate plus 0.5%, (iii) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate plus 0.5%, (iv) one-month term SOFR plus 1.0% plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.10% and (v) 1.0%.

In addition, we pay a commitment fee of (i) 0.5% per annum on undrawn amounts if the unused portion of the February 2019 Credit Facility is greater than two-thirds of total commitments or (ii) 0.375% per annum on undrawn amounts if the unused portion of the February 2019 Credit Facility is equal to or less than two-thirds of total commitments.

Affiliates of certain of the underwriters in this offering, act as lenders under the February 2019 Credit Facility. As described above, we may use net proceeds of this offering to repay a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under the February 2019 Credit Facility. Certain of the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes, not including underwriting compensation, may be paid to such affiliates of certain of the underwriters in connection with the repayment of debt owed under the February 2019 Credit Facility. As a result, certain of the underwriters and/or their affiliates may receive more than 5% of the net proceeds of this offering, not including underwriting compensation. See “Underwriting” below.

The following table sets forth our capitalization:

This table should be read in conjunction with “Use of Proceeds” included in this prospectus supplement and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC, including our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, incorporated by reference herein.

Information about our senior securities is shown in the following table as of September 30, 2023. Information about our senior securities as of the end of the last ten fiscal years is located in “Part II, Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference herein. The information in the senior securities table for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 was audited by KPMG LLP and their report thereon has been incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement is a part.

The following description of the terms of the   % Notes due 2029 supplements and, to the extent inconsistent with, replaces the description of the general terms and provisions of the debt securities set forth in the accompanying prospectus.

We will issue the Notes under the base indenture between us and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor-in-interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee, dated as of November 23, 2021, as supplemented by a separate second supplemental indenture between us and the trustee, to be dated as of the settlement date for the Notes. As used in this section, all references to the indenture mean the base indenture as supplemented by the second supplemental indenture. The terms of the Notes include those expressly set forth in the indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

The following description is a summary of the material provisions of the Notes and the indenture and does not purport to be complete. This summary is subject to and is qualified by reference to all the provisions of the Notes and the indenture, including the definitions of certain terms used in the indenture. We urge you to read these documents because they, and not this description, define your rights as a holder of the Notes. You may request a copy of the indenture from us by making a written request to Barings BDC, Inc., 300 South Tryon Street, Suite 2500, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202. In addition, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains information we file with the SEC, including the indenture.

For purposes of this description, references to “we,” “our” and “us” refer only to Barings BDC, Inc. and not to any of its current or future subsidiaries and references to “subsidiaries” refer only to our consolidated subsidiaries and exclude any investments held by Barings BDC, Inc. in the ordinary course of business which are not, under GAAP, consolidated on the financial statements of Barings BDC, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

The Notes:

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt that may be issued by us or our subsidiaries under the indenture or otherwise. The indenture does not contain any financial covenants and does not restrict us from paying dividends or distributions or issuing or repurchasing our other securities. Other than restrictions described under “—Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event” and “—Covenants—Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets” in this prospectus supplement, the indenture does not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of the Notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction involving us or in the event of a decline in our credit rating as the result of a takeover, recapitalization, highly leveraged transaction or similar restructuring involving us that could adversely affect such holders.

We may, without the consent of the holders, issue additional Notes under the indenture with the same terms (except for the issue date, public offering price, and, if applicable, the initial interest payment date) as the Notes

offered hereby in an unlimited aggregate principal amount; provided that, if such additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes offered hereby (or any other tranche of additional Notes) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then such additional Notes will have different CUSIP numbers from the Notes offered hereby (and any such other tranche of additional Notes).

We do not intend to list the Notes on any securities exchange or any automated dealer quotation system.

We will pay the principal of, and interest on, the Notes in global form registered in the name of or held by DTC or its nominee in immediately available funds to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of such Global Note (as defined below).

Payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on the Notes will be made at the corporate trust office of the trustee in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at our option payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address will appear in the security register.

A holder of Notes may transfer or exchange Notes at the office of the security registrar in accordance with the indenture. The security registrar and the trustee may require a holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents. No service charge will be imposed by us, the trustee or the security registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but we and/or the trustee may require a holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other similar governmental charge required by law or permitted by the indenture.

The registered holder of a Note will be treated as its owner for all purposes.

The Notes will bear cash interest at a rate of   % per year until maturity. Interest on the Notes will accrue from   , 2024. Interest will be payable semiannually in arrears on    and    of each year, beginning on   , 2024.

Interest will be paid to the person in whose name a Note is registered at 5:00 p.m. New York City time, or the close of business, on    or   , as the case may be, immediately preceding the relevant interest payment date. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months.

If any interest payment date, redemption date, the maturity date or any earlier required repurchase date upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event of a Note falls on a day that is not a business day, the required payment will be made on the next succeeding business day and no interest on such payment will accrue in respect of the delay. The term “business day” means, with respect to any Note, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

The Notes will be our general unsecured obligations that rank senior in right of payment to all of our existing and future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes. The Notes rank equally in right of payment with all of our existing and future liabilities that are not so subordinated (including our Existing Senior Unsecured Notes). The Notes will rank effectively junior to any of our secured indebtedness (including unsecured indebtedness that we later secure) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. The Notes will rank structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness (including trade payables) incurred by our subsidiaries, financing vehicles or similar facilities. In the event of our bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up, our assets that secure secured debt will be available to pay obligations on the Notes only after all indebtedness under such secured debt has been repaid in full from such assets. We advise you that there may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all the Notes then outstanding.

As of December 31, 2023, our total consolidated indebtedness was approximately $1,444.9 million, of which $719.9 million was secured and none of which was indebtedness of our subsidiaries. The Notes will be ranked pari passu to the $725.0 million of our outstanding unsecured senior debt, which includes the Existing Senior Unsecured Notes. As of January 31, 2024, there was approximately $1,443.4 million total consolidated indebtedness outstanding, of which $718.4 million was secured and none of which was indebtedness of our subsidiaries.

Prior to     , 2029 (one month prior to their maturity date) (the “Par Call Date”), we may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

(1) (a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the redemption date (assuming the notes matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus    basis points less (b) interest accrued to the date of redemption, and

(2) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date.

On or after the Par Call Date, we may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date.

If we choose to redeem any Notes, we will deliver a notice of redemption to holders of the Notes to be redeemed not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the redemption date. If we are redeeming less than all of the Notes, the particular Notes to be redeemed will be selected in accordance with the applicable procedures of the trustee and, so long as the Notes are registered to DTC or its nominee, the DTC; provided, however, that no such partial redemption will reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Note not redeemed to less than $2,000. Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions of the Notes called for redemption.

For purposes of calculating the redemption price in connection with the redemption of the Notes, on any redemption date, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date of the Notes, the yield determined by us in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by us after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third business day preceding the redemption date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily)—H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities–Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, we shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the redemption date to the maturity date of the Notes (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the redemption date.

If on the third business day preceding the redemption date H.15 TCM is no longer published, we shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second business day preceding such redemption date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, we shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, we shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading

closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places. Our actions and determinations in determining the redemption price of any of the Notes shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless we have exercised our right to redeem the Notes in full, we will make an offer to each holder of the Notes to repurchase all or any part (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 principal amount in excess thereof) of that holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes repurchased to, but not including, the date of purchase. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at our option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the Change of Control, we will mail a notice to each holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase Notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed. The notice will, if mailed prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice. We will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the Notes, we will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached our obligations under the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the Notes by virtue of such conflict.

On the Change of Control Repurchase Event payment date, subject to extension if necessary to comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, we will, to the extent lawful:

The paying agent will promptly remit to each holder of Notes properly tendered the purchase price for the Notes, and upon the written request of the Company, the trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes surrendered; provided that each new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

We will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by us and such third party purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

The source of funds that will be required to repurchase Notes in the event of a Change of Control Repurchase Event will be our available cash or cash generated from our operations or other potential sources, including funds provided by a purchaser in the Change of Control transaction, borrowings, sales of assets or sales of equity. We cannot assure you that sufficient funds from such sources will be available at the time of any Change of Control Repurchase Event to make required repurchases of Notes tendered. The terms of certain of our and our subsidiaries’ financing arrangements provide that certain change of control events will constitute an event of default thereunder entitling the lenders to accelerate any indebtedness outstanding under our and our subsidiaries’ financing arrangements at that time and to terminate the financing arrangements. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for a general discussion of our and our subsidiaries’ indebtedness. Our and our subsidiaries’ future financing arrangements may contain similar restrictions

and provisions. If the holders of the Notes exercise their right to require us to repurchase Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event, the financial effect of this repurchase could cause a default under our and our subsidiaries’ future financing arrangements, even if the Change of Control Repurchase Event itself would not cause a default. It is possible that we will not have sufficient funds at the time of the Change of Control Repurchase Event to make the required repurchase of the Notes and/or our and our subsidiaries’ other debt. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Notes—We may not be able to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event” in this prospectus supplement for more information.

The definition of “Change of Control” includes a phrase relating to the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of “all or substantially all” of our properties or assets and those of our subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise, established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a holder of Notes to require us to repurchase the Notes as a result of a sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of less than all of our assets and the assets of our subsidiaries taken as a whole to another person or group may be uncertain.

For purposes of the Notes:

“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are downgraded below Investment Grade by both of the Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that results in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control (which period will be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies); provided that a Below Investment Grade Rating Event otherwise arising by virtue of a particular reduction in rating will not be deemed to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of Control (and thus will not be deemed a Below Investment Grade Rating Event for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Repurchase Event hereunder) if the Rating Agencies making the reduction in rating to which this definition would otherwise apply do not announce or publicly confirm or inform the trustee in writing at its request that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the applicable Change of Control (whether or not the applicable Change of Control will have occurred at the time of the Below Investment Grade Rating Event).

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

“Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

“Controlled Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of Barings BDC, Inc., 50% or more of the outstanding equity interests of which are owned by Barings BDC, Inc. and its direct or indirect subsidiaries and of which Barings BDC, Inc. possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies, whether through the ownership of voting equity interests, by agreement or otherwise.

“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings, Inc., or any successor thereto.

“Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Fitch) and Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s) (or, in each case the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any Rating Agency selected by us as a Rating Agency).

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service or any successor thereto.

“Permitted Holders” means (i) us, (ii) one or more of our Controlled Subsidiaries and (iii) the Adviser, any affiliate of the Adviser or any entity that is managed by the Adviser that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in the United States and in the business of managing or advising clients.

“Rating Agency” means:

“Voting Stock” as applied to stock of any person, means shares, interests, participations or other equivalents in the equity interest (however designated) in such person having ordinary voting power for the election of a majority of the directors (or the equivalent) of such person, other than shares, interests, participations or other equivalents having such power only by reason of the occurrence of a contingency.

In addition to the covenants described in the base indenture, the following covenants will apply to the Notes. To the extent of any conflict or inconsistency between the base indenture and the following covenants, the following covenants will govern:

The indenture will provide that we will not merge or consolidate with or into any other person (other than a merger of a wholly owned subsidiary into us), or sell, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all our property (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, a pledge of assets pursuant to any secured debt instrument of Barings BDC, Inc. or its Controlled Subsidiaries will not be deemed to be any such sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or disposition) in any one transaction or series of related transactions unless:

For the purposes of this covenant, the sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all the property of one or more of our subsidiaries, which property, if held by us instead of such subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of our property on a consolidated basis, will be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of our property.

Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, in certain circumstances there may be a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular transaction would involve “all or substantially all” of the properties or assets of a person. As a result, it may be unclear as to whether the merger, consolidation or sale of assets covenant would apply to a particular transaction as described above absent a decision by a court of competent jurisdiction. Although these types of transactions may be permitted under the indenture, certain of the foregoing transactions could constitute a Change of Control that results in a Change of Control Repurchase Event permitting each holder to require us to repurchase the Notes of such holder as described above.

An assumption by any person of obligations under the Notes and the indenture might be deemed for U.S. federal income tax purposes to be an exchange of the Notes for new Notes by the holders thereof, resulting in recognition of gain or loss for such purposes and possibly other adverse tax consequences to the holders. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of such an assumption.

If an event of default occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case (other than an event of default specified in item (6) above) the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes may declare the entire principal amount of the outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to us (and to the trustee if given by the holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or specified portion thereof will become immediately due and payable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of the events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization described in item (6) above, 100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes will automatically become due and payable.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Notes has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, by written notice to us and the trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if (i) we have paid or deposited with the trustee a sum sufficient to pay all overdue installments of interest, if any, on all outstanding Notes, the principal of (and premium, if any, on) all outstanding Notes that have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Notes, to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful interest upon overdue installments of interest at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Notes, and all sums paid or advanced by the trustee and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the trustee, its agents and counsel, and (ii) all events of default with respect to the Notes, other than the nonpayment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) or interest on such Notes that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived. No such rescission will affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

No holder of Notes will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy under the indenture, unless:

Notwithstanding any other provision in the indenture, the holder of any Note will have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest, if any, on such Note on the stated maturity or maturity expressed in such Note (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the holders, on the repayment date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights will not be impaired without the consent of such holder.

The trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by the indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the Notes unless such holders have offered to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction. Subject to the foregoing, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the Notes,

provided that (i) such direction may not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the indenture, (ii) the trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction and (iii) the trustee need not take any action that it determines in good faith may involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the holders of Notes not consenting.

The holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may on behalf of the holders of all of the Notes waive any past default under the indenture with respect to the Notes and its consequences, except a default (i) in the payment of (or premium, if any, on) or interest, if any, on any Note, or (ii) in respect of a covenant or provision of the indenture which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Note affected. Upon any such waiver, such default will cease to exist, and any event of default arising therefrom will be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose, but no such waiver may extend to any subsequent or other default or event of default or impair any right consequent thereto.

We are required to deliver to the trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, an officers’ certificate as to the knowledge of the signers whether we are in default in the performance of any of the terms, provisions or conditions of the indenture.

Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default under the indenture with respect to the Notes, the trustee must transmit notice of such default known to the trustee, unless such default has been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) or interest, if any, on any Note, the trustee will be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors of the trustee in good faith determines that withholding of such notice is in the interest of the holders of the Notes.

We may satisfy and discharge our obligations under the indenture by delivering to the security registrar for cancellation all outstanding Notes or by depositing with the trustee or delivering to the holders, as applicable, after the Notes have become due and payable, or otherwise, moneys sufficient to pay all of the outstanding Notes and paying all other sums payable under the indenture by us. Such discharge is subject to terms contained in the indenture.

In addition, the Notes are subject to defeasance and covenant defeasance, in each case, in accordance with the terms of the indenture. Defeasance means that, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including, but not limited to, (i) depositing in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Notes a combination of money and/or U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to make interest, principal and any other payments on the Notes on their various due dates and (ii) delivering to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that (a) we have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) a ruling, or (b) since the date of execution of the Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable U.S.federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon, the holders of the Notes and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred, we can legally release ourselves from all payment and other obligations on the Notes. Covenant defeasance means that, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including, but not limited to, (i) depositing in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Notes a combination of money and/or U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to make interest, principal and any other payments on the Notes on their various due dates and (ii) delivering to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the Notes and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred, we will be released from some of the restrictive covenants in the indenture.

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor-in-interest to U.S. Bank National Association) is the trustee, security registrar and paying agent. U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, in each of its capacities, including without limitation as trustee, security registrar and paying agent, assumes no responsibility for

the accuracy or completeness of the information concerning us or our affiliates or any other party contained in this document or the related documents or for any failure by us or any other party to disclose events that may have occurred and may affect the significance or accuracy of such information, or for any information provided to it by us, including but not limited to settlement amounts and any other information.

We may maintain banking relationships in the ordinary course of business with the trustee and its affiliates.

The indenture provides that it and the Notes will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws that would cause the application of laws of another jurisdiction.

The Notes will be initially issued in the form of one or more registered Notes in global form, without interest coupons, or the Global Notes. Upon issuance, each of the Global Notes will be deposited with the trustee as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global Note will be limited to persons who have accounts with the DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream participants, or persons who hold interests through DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream participants. We expect that under procedures established by DTC:

Beneficial interests in Global Notes may not be exchanged for Notes in physical, certificated form except in the limited circumstances described below.

All interests in the Global Notes will be subject to the operations and procedures of DTC. We provide the following summary of those operations and procedures solely for the convenience of investors. The operations and procedures of DTC are controlled by that settlement system and may be changed at any time. Neither we nor the underwriters are responsible for those operations or procedures.

DTC has advised us that it is:

DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between its participants through electronic book-entry changes to the accounts of its participants. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, including the underwriters; banks and trust companies; clearing corporations and other organizations. Indirect access to DTC’s system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies; these indirect participants clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC participant, either directly or indirectly. Investors who are not DTC participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through DTC participants or indirect participants in DTC.

Euroclear and Clearstream hold securities for participating organizations. They also facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between their respective participants through electronic book-entry changes in the accounts of such participants. Euroclear and Clearstream provide various services to their participants, including the safekeeping, administration, clearance, settlement, lending and borrowing of internationally traded securities. Euroclear and Clearstream interface with domestic securities markets. Euroclear and Clearstream participants are financial institutions such as underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and certain other organizations. Indirect access to Euroclear and Clearstream is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear and Clearstream participant, either directly or indirectly.

So long as the Notes are held in global form, Euroclear, Clearstream and/or DTC, as applicable, (or their respective nominees) will be considered the sole holders of Global Notes for all purposes under the indenture. As such, participants must rely on the procedures of Euroclear, Clearstream and/or DTC and indirect participants must rely on the procedures of Euroclear, Clearstream and/ or DTC and the participants through which they own interests in the Notes, or Book-Entry Interests, in order to exercise any rights of holders under the indenture.

So long as DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream’s nominee is the registered owner of a Global Note, that nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Notes represented by that Global Note for all purposes under the indenture. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in a Global Note:

As a result, each investor who owns a beneficial interest in a Global Note must rely on the procedures of DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream to exercise any rights of a holder of Notes under the indenture (and, if the investor is not a participant or an indirect participant in DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, on the procedures of the DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream participant through which the investor owns its interest).

Payments of principal and interest with respect to the Notes represented by a Global Note will be made by the trustee to DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream’s nominee as the registered holder of the Global Note. Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for the payment of amounts to owners of beneficial interests in a Global Note, for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of those interests by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream relating to those interests.

Payments by participants and indirect participants in DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream to the owners of beneficial interests in a Global Note will be governed by standing instructions and customary industry practice and will be the responsibility of those participants or indirect participants and DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream.

Transfers between participants in DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream will be effected under DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream’s procedures and will be settled in same-day funds.

Cross-market transfers of beneficial interests in Global Notes between DTC participants, on the one hand, and Euroclear or Clearstream participants, on the other hand, will be effected within DTC through the DTC participants that are acting as depositaries for Euroclear and Clearstream. To deliver or receive an interest in a Global Note held in a Euroclear or Clearstream account, an investor must send transfer instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, under the rules and procedures of that system and within the established deadlines of that system. If the transaction meets its settlement requirements, Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will send instructions to its DTC depositary to take action to effect final settlement by delivering or receiving interests in the relevant Global Notes in DTC, and making or receiving payment under normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear and Clearstream participants may not deliver instructions directly to the DTC depositaries that are acting for Euroclear or Clearstream.

Because the settlement of cross-market transfers takes place during New York business hours, DTC participants may employ their usual procedures for sending securities to the applicable DTC participants acting as depositaries for Euroclear and Clearstream. The sale proceeds will be available to the DTC participant seller on the settlement date. Thus, to a DTC participant, a cross-market transaction will settle no differently from a trade between two DTC

participants. Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream participant that purchases an interest in a Global Note from a DTC participant will be credited on the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream immediately following the DTC settlement date. Cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream from the sale of an interest in a Global Note to a DTC participant will be reflected in the account of the Euroclear of Clearstream participant the following business day, and receipt of the cash proceeds in the Euroclear or Clearstream participant’s account will be back-valued to the date on which settlement occurs in New York. DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the above procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in the Global Notes among participants in those settlement systems. However, the settlement systems are not obligated to perform these procedures and may discontinue or change these procedures at any time. Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for the performance by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or their participants or indirect participants of their obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations, including maintaining, supervising or reviewing the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests in Global Notes.

Notes in physical, certificated form will be issued and delivered to each person that DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream identifies as a beneficial owner of the related Notes only if:

The following discussion is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Notes, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax consequences. The discussion is based upon the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Treasury, or the Treasury Regulations, rulings and pronouncements issued by the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, and judicial decisions, all as of the date hereof and all of which are subject to change at any time. Any such change may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a holder of the Notes. We have not sought any ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following discussion, and there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with such statements and conclusions.

This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a holder in light of such holder’s particular circumstances or to holders subject to special rules, including, without limitation:

In addition, this discussion is limited to persons purchasing the Notes for cash at original issue and at their original “issue price” within the meaning of Section 1273 of the Code (i.e., the first price at which a substantial amount of the Notes are sold to the public for cash). Moreover, the effects of other U.S. federal tax laws (such as estate and gift tax laws) and any applicable state, local or foreign tax laws are not discussed. The discussion deals only with Notes held as “capital assets” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code. This discussion also does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to beneficial owners of the Notes that are subject to the special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Code.

If an entity taxable as a partnership holds the Notes, the tax treatment of an owner of the entity generally will depend on the status of the particular owner in question and the activities of the entity. Owners of any such entity should consult their tax advisors as to the specific tax consequences to them of holding the Notes indirectly through ownership of such entity.

YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES ARISING UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN OR OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a “U.S. holder” of a Note. As used herein, “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of a Note who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

Stated interest on the Notes generally will be taxable to a U.S. holder as ordinary income at the time that such interest is received or accrued, in accordance with such U.S. holder’s method of tax accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, if the terms of a debt instrument entitle a holder to receive payments (other than fixed periodic interest) that, in the aggregate, exceed the issue price of the instrument by an amount that equals or exceeds a statutory de minimis amount, the holder will be required to recognize such excess amounts as “original issue discount” which is taxable as ordinary income over the term of the instrument, irrespective of the holder’s regular method of tax accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The following discussion assumes that the Notes will be issued with no original issue discount or with less than a de minimis amount of original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

A U.S. holder will recognize gain or loss on the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other taxable disposition of a Note equal to the difference between the amount realized upon the disposition (less any portion allocable to any accrued and unpaid interest, which will be taxable as interest to the extent not previously included in income) and the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Note. A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in a Note generally will be equal to the amount that the U.S. holder paid for the Note. Any gain or loss will be a capital gain or loss, and will be a long term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder has held the Note for more than one year at the time of disposition. Otherwise, such gain or loss will be a short-term capital gain or loss. Long term capital gains recognized by certain non-corporate U.S. holders, including individuals, are currently subject to a reduced tax rate. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

A U.S. holder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding when such U.S. holder receives interest payments on the Notes held or upon the proceeds received upon the sale or other disposition of such Notes (including a redemption or retirement of the Notes). Certain U.S. holders generally are not subject to information reporting or backup withholding. A U.S. holder will be subject to backup withholding if such U.S. holder is not otherwise exempt and such U.S. holder:

U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their qualification for an exemption from backup withholding and the procedures for obtaining such an exemption, if applicable. Backup withholding is not an additional tax, and taxpayers may use amounts withheld as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability or may claim a refund if they timely provide certain information to the IRS.

A tax of 3.8% will be imposed on certain “net investment income” (or “undistributed net investment income”, in the case of estates and trusts) received by individuals with adjusted modified gross incomes in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly) and certain estates and trusts. “Net investment income” as defined for U.S. federal Medicare contribution purposes generally includes interest payments and gain recognized from the sale or other disposition of the Notes. Tax-exempt trusts, which are not subject to income taxes generally, and foreign individuals will not be subject to this tax. U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their ownership and disposition of the Notes.

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences that will apply to you if you are a “Non-U.S. holder” of a Note. A “Non-U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of a Note who is not a U.S. holder and not a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Generally, interest income paid to a Non-U.S. holder that is not effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business is subject to withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or, if applicable, a lower treaty rate). Nevertheless, subject to the discussion below concerning the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, interest paid on a Note to a Non-U.S. holder that is not effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business generally will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax provided that:

Even if the above conditions are not met, a Non-U.S. holder generally will be entitled to a reduction in or an exemption from withholding tax on interest if the Non-U.S. holder provides us or our paying agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or a suitable substitute form (or other applicable certificate) claiming an exemption from or reduction of the withholding tax under the benefit of an income tax treaty between the United States and the Non-U.S. holder’s country of residence. A Non-U.S. holder is required to inform the recipient of any change in the information on such statement within 30 days of such change. Special certification rules apply to Non-U.S. holders that are pass-through entities rather than corporations or individuals.

If interest paid to a Non-U.S. holder is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, then, the Non-U.S. holder will be exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax, so long as the Non-U.S. holder has provided an IRS Form W-8ECI or substantially similar substitute form stating that the interest that the Non-U.S. holder receives on the Notes is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or

business in the United States. In such a case, a Non-U.S. holder will be subject to tax on the interest it receives on a net income basis in the same manner as if such Non-U.S. holder were a U.S. holder. In addition, if the Non-U.S. holder is a foreign corporation, such interest may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% or lower applicable treaty rate.

Subject to the discussion below regarding FATCA, any gain realized by a Non-U.S. holder on the sale, exchange, retirement, redemption or other taxable disposition of a Note generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless:

A Non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet point above will be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on the net gain derived from the sale or other taxable disposition of a Note generally in the same manner as if such Non-U.S. holder were a U.S. holder, and if such Non-U.S. holder is a foreign corporation, it may also be required to pay an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate (or a lower rate if so specified by an applicable income tax treaty). A Non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or, if applicable, a lower treaty rate) on the gain derived from the sale or other taxable disposition, which may be offset by certain U.S. source capital losses, even though the Non-U.S. holder is not considered a resident of the United States.

Certain other exceptions may be applicable, and Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors with regard to whether taxes will be imposed on capital gain in their individual circumstances.

The amount of interest that we pay to any Non-U.S. holder on the Notes will be reported to the Non-U.S. holder and to the IRS annually on an IRS Form 1042-S, regardless of whether any tax was actually withheld. Copies of these information returns may also be made available under the provisions of a specific income tax treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which the Non-U.S. holder resides. However, a Non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to backup withholding and certain other information reporting with respect to payments that we make to the Non-U.S. holder, provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such Non-U.S. holder is a “United States person,” within the meaning of the Code, and the Non-U.S. holder has given us the statement described above under “Non-U.S. holders - Payments of Interest.”

If a Non-U.S. holder sells or exchanges a Note through a United States broker or the United States office of a foreign broker, the proceeds from such sale or exchange will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless the Non-U.S. holder provides a withholding certificate or other appropriate documentary evidence establishing that such holder is not a U.S. holder to the broker and such broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a U.S. holder, or the Non-U.S. holder is an exempt recipient eligible for an exemption from information reporting and backup withholding. If a Non-U.S. holder sells or exchanges a Note through the foreign office of a broker who is a United States person or has certain enumerated connections with the United States, the proceeds from such sale or exchange will be subject to information reporting unless the Non-U.S. holder provides to such broker a withholding certificate or other documentary evidence establishing that such holder is not a U.S. holder and such broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such evidence is false, or the Non-U.S. holder is an exempt recipient eligible for an exemption from information reporting. In circumstances where information reporting by the foreign office of such a broker is required, backup withholding will be required only if the broker has actual knowledge that the holder is a U.S. holder.

A Non-U.S. holder generally will be entitled to credit any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules against the Non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability or may claim a refund provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.

Non-U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of information reporting and backup withholding in their particular situations, the availability of an exemption therefrom, and the procedures for obtaining such an exemption, if available.

FATCA and U.S. Treasury Regulations and other IRS administrative guidance thereunder generally impose a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on U.S. source interest on a debt obligation and the gross proceeds from the disposition of a debt obligation of a type that produces U.S. source interest, which, in each case, would include the Notes, to certain non-U.S. entities (including, in some circumstances, where such an entity is acting as an intermediary) that fail to comply with certain certification and information reporting requirements, including reporting requirements regarding its United States account holders (in the case of foreign financial institutions) or beneficial United States owners (in the case of non-financial foreign entities). However, under current proposed regulations promulgated by the Treasury Department, withholding under FATCA does not apply to gross proceeds from any sale or disposition of a Note. Taxpayers may generally rely on those proposed regulations until final regulations are issued. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States with respect to FATCA may be subject to different rules. In addition, under certain circumstances, a Non-U.S. holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of any taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA. Prospective investors in the Notes should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of the FATCA rules for them based on their particular circumstances.

Under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations, if a U.S. holder recognizes a loss with respect to the Notes of $2 million or more for a non-corporate U.S. holder or $10 million or more for a corporate U.S. holder in any single taxable year (or a greater loss over a combination of taxable years), the U.S. holder may be required to file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct U.S. holders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but, under current guidance, U.S. holders of securities issued by a RIC are not exempt from such reporting. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to U.S. holders of securities issued by most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these U.S. Treasury Regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether a taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Significant monetary penalties apply to a failure to comply with this reporting requirement. States may also have a similar reporting requirement. U.S. holders of the Notes should consult their own tax advisors to determine the applicability of these U.S. Treasury Regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. are acting as the representatives of the several underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement among us and the underwriters, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally and not jointly agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, the aggregate principal amount of the Notes set forth below:

The underwriters are committed to purchase all of the Notes offered by us if they purchase any Notes. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the offering may be terminated.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The underwriters are offering the Notes, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the Notes, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

The underwriters propose to offer some of the Notes to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and some of the Notes to certain other dealers at the public offering price less a concession not in excess of   % of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes. The underwriters may allow, and the dealers may reallow, a discount not in excess of   % of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes. After the initial offering of the Notes to the public, the public offering price and other selling terms may be changed. No such change shall change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement.

The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discounts and commissions and proceeds before expenses to us.

The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discounts, are estimated at $    million and are payable by us.

Through the closing date and subject to certain exceptions, we have agreed not to, and will cause our subsidiaries not to, sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, any debt securities issued or guaranteed by us or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for debt securities issued or guaranteed by the us or file or cause to

be declared effective a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing, without the prior written consent of the representatives, which may not be unreasonably withheld. This consent may be given at any time without public notice.

The Notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or quoted on any automated dealer quotation system.

We have been advised by certain of the underwriters that they presently intend to make a market in the Notes after completion of the offering as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. The underwriters are not obligated, however, to make a market in the Notes and any such market-making may be discontinued at any time in the sole discretion of the underwriters without any notice. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or development of a public trading market for, the Notes. If an active public trading market for the Notes does not develop, the market price and liquidity of the Notes may be adversely affected.

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell the Notes in the open market. These transactions may include over-allotment, covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Over-allotment involves sales of securities in excess of the aggregate principal amount of securities to be purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a short position for the underwriters. Covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases of securities made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities while the offering is in progress.

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased Notes sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

Any of these activities may cause the price of the Notes to be higher than the price that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of such transactions. These transactions may be effected in the over-the-counter market or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time without any notice relating thereto.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the Notes. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include sales and trading, commercial and investment banking, advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, market making, brokerage and other financial and non-financial activities and services. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, a variety of these services to us and to persons and entities with relationships with us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates, officers, directors and employees may purchase, sell or hold a broad array of investments and actively traded securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps and other financial instruments for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and trading activities may involve or relate to assets, securities or instruments of us (directly, as collateral securing other obligations or otherwise) or persons and entities with relationships with us. Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates that have a lending relationship with us may hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, such underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the Notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the Notes offered hereby. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also communicate independent investment

recommendations, market color or trading ideas or publish or express independent research views in respect of such assets, securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they should acquire, long or short positions in such assets, securities and instruments.

The underwriters or their respective affiliates may also trade in our securities, securities of our portfolio companies or other financial instruments related thereto for their own accounts or for the account of others and may extend loans or financing directly or through derivative transactions to the Adviser or any of our portfolio companies.

Affiliates of certain of the underwriters in this offering, act as lenders under the February 2019 Credit Facility. As described in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds”, we may use net proceeds of this offering to repay a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under the February 2019 Credit Facility. Certain of the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes, not including underwriting compensation, may be paid to such affiliates of certain of the underwriters in connection with the repayment of debt owed under the February 2019 Credit Facility. As a result, certain of the underwriters and/or their affiliates may receive more than 5% of the net proceeds of this offering, not including underwriting compensation.

We expect that delivery of the Notes will be made to investors on or about   , 2024, which will be the    business day following the date hereof. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the Notes prior to two business days before the date of delivery will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Notes initially will settle T+   , to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the Notes who wish to trade the Notes prior to two business days before the date of delivery should consult their own advisor.

The principal business address of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC is 550 South Tryon Street, 5^th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202. The principal business address of BMO Capital Markets Corp. is 151 W 42^nd St., New York, New York 10036. The principal business address of Fifth Third Securities, Inc. is 38 Fountain Square Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45263. The principal business address of SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. is 277 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10172.

The Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area, or EEA. For the purposes of this provision:

Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014, as amended, the PRIIPs Regulation, for offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail

investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. This prospectus has been prepared on the basis that any offer of Notes in any member state of the EEA will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of Notes. This prospectus is not a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation.

The Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom. For the purposes of this provision:

Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA, or the UK PRIIPs Regulation, for offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation. This prospectus has been prepared on the basis that any offer of Notes in the UK will be made pursuant to an exemption under the UK Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of Notes. This prospectus is not a prospectus for the purposes of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

This prospectus and any other material in relation to the Notes is only being distributed to, and is directed only at, persons in the United Kingdom who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the UK Prospectus Regulation who are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the “Order”), or (ii) high net worth entities or other persons falling within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, or (iii) persons to whom it would otherwise be lawful to distribute it, all such persons together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”. The Notes are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such Notes will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. This prospectus and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by any recipients to any other person in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this prospectus or its contents. The Notes are not being offered to the public in the United Kingdom.

In addition, in the United Kingdom, each underwriter has represented and agreed the Notes may not be offered other than by an underwriter that:

This prospectus constitutes an “exempt offering document” as defined in and for the purposes of applicable Canadian securities laws. No prospectus has been filed with any securities commission or similar regulatory authority

in Canada in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes. No securities commission or similar regulatory authority in Canada has reviewed or in any way passed upon this prospectus or on the merits of the Notes and any representation to the contrary is an offence.

Canadian investors are advised that this prospectus has been prepared in reliance on section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts, or NI 33-105. Pursuant to section 3A.3 of NI 33-105, the Company and the underwriters in the offering are exempt from the requirement to provide Canadian investors with certain conflicts of interest disclosure pertaining to “connected issuer” and/or “related issuer” relationships as would otherwise be required pursuant to subsection 2.1(1) of NI 33-105.

The offer and sale of the Notes in Canada is being made on a private placement basis only and is exempt from the requirement that the Company prepares and files a prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws. Any resale of Notes by a Canadian investor in this offering must be made in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made in accordance with Canadian prospectus requirements, a statutory exemption from the prospectus requirements, in a transaction exempt from the prospectus requirements or otherwise under a discretionary exemption from the prospectus requirements granted by the applicable local Canadian securities regulatory authority. These resale restrictions may under certain circumstances apply to resales of the Notes outside of Canada.

Each Canadian investor who purchases the Notes will be deemed to have represented to the Company, the underwriters and to each dealer from whom a purchase confirmation is received, as applicable, that the investor is (i) purchasing as principal, or is deemed to be purchasing as principal in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws; (ii) an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or, in Ontario, as such term is defined in section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario); and (iii) a “permitted client” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations.

Any discussion of taxation and related matters contained in this prospectus does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to a Canadian investor when deciding to purchase the Notes and, in particular, does not address any Canadian tax considerations. No representation or warranty is hereby made as to the tax consequences to a resident, or deemed resident, of Canada of an investment in the Notes or with respect to the eligibility of the Notes for investment by such investor under relevant Canadian federal and provincial legislation and regulations.

Securities legislation in certain of the Canadian jurisdictions provides certain purchasers of securities pursuant to a prospectus (such as this prospectus), including where the distribution involves an “eligible foreign security” as such term is defined in Ontario Securities Commission Rule 45-501 Ontario Prospectus and Registration Exemptions and in Multilateral Instrument 45-107 Listing Representation and Statutory Rights of Action Disclosure Exemptions, as applicable, with a remedy for damages or rescission, or both, in addition to any other rights they may have at law, where the prospectus, or other offering document that constitutes a prospectus, and any amendment thereto, contains a “misrepresentation” as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws. These remedies, or notice with respect to these remedies, must be exercised or delivered, as the case may be, by the purchaser within the time limits prescribed under, and are subject to limitations and defences under, applicable Canadian securities legislation. In addition, these remedies are in addition to and without derogation from any other right or remedy available at law to the investor.

Upon receipt of this prospectus, each Canadian investor hereby confirms that it has expressly requested that all documents evidencing or relating in any way to the sale of the securities described herein (including for greater certainty any purchase confirmation or any notice) be drawn up in the English language only. Par la réception de ce

document, chaque investisseur canadien confirme par les présentes qu’il a expressément exigé que tous les documents faisant foi ou se rapportant de quelque manière que ce soit à la vente des valeurs mobilières décrites aux présentes (incluant, pour plus de certitude, toute confirmation d’achat ou tout avis) soient rédigés en anglais seulement.

Sales of the Notes in Israel will be made through the underwriters and/or through an Israeli broker(s) engaged by them. The Notes will not be offered to an Israeli person unless such offeree is a “qualified investor” (as defined in the First Appendix to the Israeli Securities Law) who is not an individual (a “Qualified Israeli Investor”) and who has (x) completed and signed a questionnaire regarding qualification as a Qualified Israel Investor and (y) certified that it has an exemption from Israeli withholding taxes on interest.

The contents of this prospectus have not been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. The Notes have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance, or the professional investors; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Notes has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors”. This prospectus is intended solely for the use of the person to whom it has been delivered for the purpose of evaluating a possible investment by the recipient in the Notes described herein, and is not to be reproduced or distributed to any other persons (other than professional advisors of the prospective investor receiving this prospectus).

Certain legal matters regarding the Notes offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Dechert LLP, Washington D.C., and certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Ropes & Gray LLP.

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus constitute part of a universal shelf registration statement on Form N-2 that we have filed with the SEC, together with any and all amendments and related exhibits, under the Securities Act. The registration statement contains additional information about us, our securities and the Notes being offered by this prospectus supplement. Statements contained herein concerning any document filed as an exhibit are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each such statement is qualified in its entirety by such reference.

We file with or submit to the SEC annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information meeting the informational requirements of the Exchange Act. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information filed electronically by us with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. This information is also available free of charge by contacting us at 300 South Tryon Street, Suite 2500, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Corporate Secretary, on our website at https://ir.barings.com/sec-filings, or by calling us at (888) 401-1088. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and you should not consider that information to be part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

We incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement the documents listed below and any reports and other documents we file with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus supplement and prior to the termination of this offering (such reports and other documents deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such reports and other documents); provided, however, that any document, report, exhibit (or portion of any of the foregoing) or other information “furnished” to the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act shall not be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement:

Any statement contained in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement.

We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus supplement is delivered, upon written or oral request of any such person, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement but not delivered with this prospectus supplement, excluding exhibits to a document unless an exhibit has been specifically incorporated by reference in that document. To obtain copies of these filings, see “Available Information” in this prospectus supplement.

Barings BDC, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a closed-end, non-diversified investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”), under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the “1940 Act”). We have elected for federal income tax purposes to be treated, and intend to qualify annually, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

We are externally managed by our investment adviser, Barings LLC (“Barings” or the “Adviser”). Our investment objective is to generate current income primarily by investing directly in privately-held middle-market companies to help these companies fund acquisitions, growth or refinancing. We use the term “middle market” to refer to companies with between $10.0 million and $75.0 million in annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as adjusted (“Adjusted EBITDA”). While we focus our investments in private middle-market companies, we seek to invest across various industries and in both United States-based and foreign-based companies. Barings monitors our investment portfolio to ensure we have acceptable industry balance, using industry and market metrics as key indicators. To a lesser extent, we will invest opportunistically in assets such as, without limitation, equity, special situations, structured credit (e.g., private asset-backed securities), syndicated loan opportunities, high yield investments and/or mortgage securities.

We may offer, from time to time in one or more offerings or series, together or separately, an indefinite amount of our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, subscription rights to purchase shares of our common stock, and/or warrants representing rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, which we refer to, collectively, as the “securities”. The preferred stock, debt securities, subscription rights and warrants offered hereby may be convertible or exchangeable into shares of our common stock. The securities may be offered at prices and on terms to be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus.

In the event we offer common stock, the net proceeds we receive on a per share basis, before offering expenses, will generally not be less than the net asset value (“NAV”) per share of our common stock at the time we make the offering. However, we may receive net proceeds on a per share basis, before offering expenses, that are less than our NAV per share (i) in connection with a rights offering to our existing stockholders, (ii) with the prior approval of the majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of our common stockholders or (iii) under such other circumstances as the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) may permit. Our stockholders have in the past and may again approve our ability to sell shares of our common stock below our then current NAV per share in one or more public offerings of our common stock.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “BBDC.” The last reported closing price for our common stock on July 13, 2023 was $7.87 per share. The NAV of our common stock as of March 31, 2023 (the last date prior to the date of this prospectus as of which we determined NAV) was $11.17 per share. This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement contain important information you should know before investing in our securities. We will provide the specific terms of these offerings and securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read and retain for future reference this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, and any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference, before buying any of the securities being offered. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information about us with the SEC, which we incorporate by reference herein. See “Incorporation by Reference.” This information will be available by written or oral request and free of charge by contacting us at Barings BDC, Inc., 300 South Tryon Street, Suite 2500, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Corporate Secretary, on our website at https://ir.barings.com/sec-filings, or by calling us at (888) 401-1088. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider that information to be a part of this prospectus. The SEC also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov that contains this information.

Shares of closed-end investment companies that are listed on an exchange, including BDCs, frequently trade at a discount to their NAV per share. If our shares trade at a discount to our NAV, it may increase the risk of loss for purchasers in this offering.

Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk, including credit risk and the risk of the use of leverage, and is highly speculative. The securities in which we invest will generally not be rated by any rating agency, and if they were rated, they would be below investment grade. These securities, which may be referred to as “junk,” have predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Before buying any securities, you should read the discussion of the material risks of investing in our securities in “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12 of this prospectus.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

This prospectus is part of an automatic registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using the “shelf” registration process as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Under this shelf registration statement, we may offer, from time to time in one or more offerings or series, an indefinite amount of our securities on terms to be determined at the time of the offering. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering.

We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. In a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we may also add, update, or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in the documents we incorporate by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, will include all material information relating to the applicable offering. Before buying any of the securities being offered, you should carefully read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, together with any exhibits and the additional information described in the sections titled “Available Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.”

This prospectus may contain estimates and information concerning our industry that are based on industry publications and reports. This information involves many assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to these estimates. We have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the data contained in these industry publications and reports. The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in these publications and reports.

This prospectus includes summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described in this prospectus, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed, will be filed, or will be incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described in the section titled “Available Information.”

You should rely only on the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson or other person to provide you with different information or to make representations as to matters not stated in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities by any person in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful for that person to make such an offer or solicitation or to any person in any jurisdiction to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or in any such free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than their respective dates.

The following table is intended to assist you in understanding the fees and expenses that an investor in this offering will bear directly or indirectly. We caution you that some of the percentages indicated in the table below are estimates and may vary. The expenses shown in the table under “annual expenses” are based on estimated amounts for our current fiscal year. The following table should not be considered a representation of our future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than shown. Except where the context suggests otherwise, whenever this prospectus contains a reference to fees or expenses paid by “you,” “us” or “the Company,” or that “we” will pay fees or expenses, our stockholders will indirectly bear such fees or expenses as our investors.

The following example demonstrates the projected dollar amount of total cumulative expenses that would be incurred over various periods with respect to a hypothetical investment in our common stock. In calculating the following expense amounts, we have assumed that the Company would have no additional leverage and that its annual operating expenses would remain at the levels set forth in the tables above.

The foregoing tables are to assist you in understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in our common stock will bear directly or indirectly. While the example assumes, as required by the SEC, a 5% annual return, our performance will vary and may result in a return greater or less than 5%. The incentive fee under the

Advisory Agreement, assuming a 5% annual return, would either not be payable or have an immaterial impact on the expense amounts shown above in the example where there is no return from net realized capital gains, and thus are not included in such example. Under the Advisory Agreement, no incentive fee would be payable if we have a 5% annual return with no capital gains, however, there would be incentive fees payable in the example where the entire return is derived from realized capital gains. If sufficient returns are achieved on investments, including through the realization of capital gains, to trigger an incentive fee of a material amount, expenses, and returns to investors, would be higher. The example assumes that all dividends and other distributions are reinvested at NAV. Under certain circumstances, reinvestment of dividends and other distributions under the relevant dividend reinvestment plan may occur at a price per share that differs from NAV. See “Dividend Reinvestment Plan” for additional information regarding our dividend investment plan.

This example should not be considered a representation of our future expenses, and actual expenses (including the cost of debt, if any, and other expenses) may be greater or less than those shown.

The financial data as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and each of the ten years ended December 31, 2022 is set forth in the table below. The financial data in the below table for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 was audited by KPMG LLP and their report thereon is incorporated by reference herein. The financial data in the below table for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was audited by Ernst & Young LLP and their report thereon is incorporated by reference herein. The financial data set forth in the following table as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2023 has been derived from unaudited financial data, but in the opinion of our management, reflects all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that are necessary to present fairly the results for such interim periods. Interim results at and for the three months ended March 31, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2023. You should read these financial highlights in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, our most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and any subsequent filings we have made with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, together with other information in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, and discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, our most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and any subsequent filings we have made with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, together with other information in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference, and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize for use in connection with an offering pursuant to this prospectus. The risks described in these documents are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. Past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. This could cause our NAV and the trading price of our securities to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section titled “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

The information in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II of our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and the information in “Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part I of our most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is incorporated by reference herein.

This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, contains, and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, including the documents we incorporate by reference therein, may contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our future financial condition, business strategy, and plans and objectives of management for future operations. All statements other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our future results of operations or financial condition, business strategy and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may include statements as to:

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” or “would” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions, although not all forward-looking statements include these words or expressions. The forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those implied or expressed in the forward-looking statements for any reason, including the factors set forth in “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC, and elsewhere contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. Other factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the following:

Discussions containing these forward-looking statements may be found in the sections titled “Business,” “Risk Factors,” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” incorporated by reference from our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC. We discuss in greater detail, and incorporate by reference into this prospectus in their entirety, many of these risks and uncertainties in the sections titled “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, in any free writing prospectus we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering, and in our most recently filed

Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in subsequent filings with the SEC. In addition, statements that we “believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the applicable date of this prospectus, free writing prospectus and documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless we are required to do so by law.

Except as described in any applicable prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectuses we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering, we intend to use the net proceeds from any offering pursuant to this prospectus to make investments in accordance with our investment objective and strategies, to pay our operating expenses and other cash obligations, and for general corporate or strategic purposes, including, without limitation, to repay or repurchase outstanding indebtedness.

We anticipate that substantially all of the net proceeds of an offering of securities pursuant to this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement will be used for the above purposes within three months of any such offering, depending on the availability of appropriate investment opportunities consistent with our investment objective. We cannot assure you that we will achieve our targeted investment pace. During this period, we may use the net proceeds from our offering to reduce then-outstanding indebtedness or to invest such proceeds in cash equivalents, U.S. government securities and other high-quality debt investments that mature in one year or less from the date of investment. We expect to earn yields on such investments, if any, that are lower than the interest income that we anticipate receiving in respect of investments in non- temporary investments. As a result, any distributions we make during this investment period may be lower than the distributions that we would expect to pay when such proceeds are fully invested in non-temporary investments.

The supplement to this prospectus relating to an offering will more fully identify the use of the proceeds from such offering.

Our common stock is traded on the NYSE under the symbol “BBDC.” The following table sets forth, for each fiscal quarter during the last two fiscal years and the current fiscal year to date, the NAV per share of our common stock, the high and low closing sales prices for our common stock and such closing sales prices as a percentage of NAV per share.

On June 30, 2023, the reported closing sales price of our common stock was $7.84 per share. As of June 30, 2023, we had 2,373 stockholders of record, which did not include stockholders for whom shares are held in “nominee” or “street name”.

Shares of BDCs may trade at a market price that is less than the value of the net assets attributable to those shares. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at a discount or premium to NAV is separate and distinct from the risk that our NAV will decrease.

Our stockholders have in the past and may again approve our ability to sell shares of our common stock below our then current NAV per share in one or more public offerings of our common stock. In such an approval, our stockholders may not specify a maximum discount below NAV at which we are able to issue our common stock. Most recently, on May 4, 2023, our stockholders voted to permit us, pursuant to subsequent approval by the Board, to issue and sell shares of our common stock (during the 12 months following such authorization) at a price below our then-current NAV per share in one or more offerings, subject to certain limitations set forth in our definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 10, 2023 (including, without limitation, that the number of shares issued and sold pursuant to such authority does not exceed 30% of our then-outstanding common stock immediately prior to each such offering). The proposal did not specify a maximum discount below NAV at which we are able to issue our common stock; however, we do not intend to issue shares of our common stock below NAV unless the Board determines that it would be in our stockholders’ best interests to do so.

In order to sell shares pursuant to such stockholder authorization:

In making a determination that an offering of common stock below NAV per share is in our and our stockholders’ best interests, the Board will consider a variety of factors, including, without limitation:

Our Board will also consider the fact that a sale of shares of common stock at a discount will benefit our Adviser, as the Adviser will earn additional base management fees on the proceeds of such offerings, as it would from an offering of any other securities of the Company, or from the offering of common stock at premium to NAV per share. Sales by us of our common stock at a discount from NAV pose potential risks for our existing stockholders whether or not they participate in the offering, as well as for new investors who participate in the offering.

The following three headings and accompanying tables explain and provide hypothetical examples assuming proceeds are temporarily invested in cash equivalents on the impact of an offering at a price less than NAV per share on three different sets of investors:

Our existing stockholders who do not participate, or who are not given the opportunity to participate, in an offering below NAV per share or who do not buy additional shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price we obtain in the offering (after any underwriting discounts and commissions) face the greatest potential risks. All stockholders will experience an immediate decrease (often called dilution) in the NAV of the shares they hold. Stockholders who do not participate in the offering will also experience a disproportionately greater decrease in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than the increase we will experience in our assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to the offering. All stockholders may also experience a decline in

the market price of their shares, which often reflects, to some degree, announced or potential increases and decreases in NAV per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering and level of discounts increase.

The following examples illustrate the level of NAV dilution that would be experienced by a nonparticipating stockholder in three different hypothetical common stock offerings of different sizes and levels of discount from NAV per share, although it is not possible to predict the level of market price decline that may occur. Actual sales prices and discounts may differ from the presentation below.

The examples assume that Company XYZ has 1,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding, $15.0 million in total assets and $5.0 million in total liabilities. The current NAV and NAV per share are thus $10.0 million and $10.00, respectively. The table below illustrates the dilutive effect on nonparticipating Stockholder A of (1) an offering of 50,000 shares (5% of the outstanding shares) at $9.50 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 5% discount from NAV); (2) an offering of 100,000 shares (10% of the outstanding shares) at $9.00 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 10% discount from NAV); and (3) an offering of 250,000 shares (25% of the outstanding shares) at $7.50 per share after any underwriting discounts and commissions (a 25% discount from NAV). The prospectus supplement pursuant to which any discounted offering is made will include a chart based on the actual number of shares in such offering and the actual discount from the most recently determined NAV per share.