Main Street Announces Tax Treatment of 2012 Dividends

Approximately 46% Qualifies for the 15% Maximum Tax Rate

HOUSTON, Jan. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE: MAIN) ("Main Street") announced today that it has posted information regarding the U.S. federal income tax characteristics of the dividends paid by Main Street that are attributable to 2012 (the "2012 Dividend Summary") on its website (http://ir.mainstcapital.com/dividend_reinvestment.cfm).  Main Street paid dividends totaling $1.725 per share that are attributable to 2012, with approximately 43% of such distributions representing long-term capital gains, 3% representing qualified ordinary income dividends and 54% representing non-qualified ordinary income dividends.  Long-term capital gains and qualified ordinary income dividends qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code and, for 2012, will generally be subject to the maximum 15% U.S. federal income tax rate.  The tax characteristics shown in the 2012 Dividend Summary represent the final accounting of Main Street's 2012 distributions and supersede any earlier estimated information.  In addition to the dividends paid by Main Street that are attributable to 2012, Main Street estimates that it continued to have significant spillover taxable income (taxable income in excess of dividends paid) at December 31, 2012 that will benefit our stockholders in future periods.

Neither this press release, nor the 2012 Dividend Summary, is intended to constitute tax, legal, investment, or other professional advice. This is general information and reference should be made to your 2012 Form 1099-DIV for tax reporting purposes. Stockholders should receive their 2012 Form 1099-DIVs by mid-February (generally from their brokers) and should consult a tax advisor for tax guidance pertinent to their specific facts and circumstances. If you did not hold Main Street stock for all of calendar year 2012, your 1099-DIV will only reflect the tax characteristics for the portion of the year you owned the stock.

ABOUT MAIN STREET CAPITAL CORPORATION
Main Street (www.mainstcapital.com) is a principal investment firm that provides long-term debt and equity capital to lower middle market companies and debt capital to middle market companies. Main Street's portfolio investments are typically made to support management buyouts, recapitalizations, growth financings, refinancings and acquisitions of companies that operate in diverse industry sectors.  Main Street seeks to partner with entrepreneurs, business owners and management teams and generally provides "one stop" financing alternatives within its lower middle market portfolio. Main Street's lower middle market companies generally have annual revenues between $10 million and $150 million. Main Street's middle market debt investments are made in businesses that are generally larger in size than its lower middle market portfolio companies.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the amount of estimated spillover income. Any such statements other than statements of historical fact are likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under Main Street's control, and that Main Street may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual performance and results could vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and Main Street undertakes no obligation to update any such statements now or in the future.

Contacts:
Main Street Capital Corporation
Dwayne L. Hyzak, CFO and Senior Managing Director
dhyzak@mainstcapital.com
713-350-6000

Dennard Rupp Gray & Lascar, LLC
Ken Dennard  |  ksdennard@drg-l.com
Ben Burnhambburnham@drg-l.com
713-529-6600

SOURCE Main Street Capital Corporation