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American Capital Two Bethesda Metro Center
14th Floor
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 951-6122
(301) 654-6714 Fax
Info@AmericanCapital.com
www.AmericanCapital.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 25, 2003

Contact:
John Erickson, Chief Financial Officer (301) 951-6122
AMERICAN CAPITAL COMPLETES $49.7 MILLION EQUITY OFFERING

Bethesda, MD - September 25, 2003 - American Capital Strategies Ltd. (Nasdaq:ACAS)announced today that the company has sold 2 million shares of common stock to the public at $24.85 per share for total gross proceeds of $49.7 million.

Underwriters for the offering are Wachovia Securities and JMP Securities. American Capital has granted the underwriters an option to purchase an additional 300,000 shares at $24.85 per share to cover over-allotments.

The net proceeds of the offering will be applied to reduce the borrowings under American Capital's existing revolving credit facility. This will create availability under this facility, which will generally be available for funding future American Capital investments.

As of August 31, 2003, American Capital shareholders have enjoyed a total return of 175% since the Company's IPO -- an annualized return of 18%, assuming reinvestment of dividends. American Capital has paid or declared a total of $12.37 per share in dividends since its August 1997 IPO at $15 per share.

American Capital is a publicly traded buyout and mezzanine fund with capital resources of approximately $1.8 billion. American Capital is an equity partner in management and employee buyouts; invests in private equity sponsored buyouts, and provides capital directly to private and small public companies. American Capital provides senior debt, mezzanine debt and equity to fund growth, acquisitions and recapitalizations.

Companies interested in learning more about American Capital's flexible financing should contact Mark Opel, Principal, at (800) 248-9340, or visit our website.

This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy shares of common stock. The offering of these securities will be made only by means of a prospectus. This press release contains forward-looking statements. The statements regarding expected results of American Capital Strategies are subject to various factors and uncertainties, including the uncertainties associated with the timing of transaction closings, changes in interest rates, availability of transactions, changes in regional or national economic conditions, or changes in the conditions of the industries in which American Capital has made investments.


HOME OFFICE
Washington
2 Bethesda Metro Center
14th Floor
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 951-6122
(301) 654-6714 fax
Info@AmericanCapital.com
REGIONAL OFFICES
New York
461 Fifth Avenue
26th Floor
New York, NY 10017
(212) 213-2009
(212) 213-2060 fax
NYInfo@AmericanCapital.com
San Francisco
Three Embarcadero Center
Suite 2320
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 591-0120
(415) 591-0111 fax
SanFranInfo@AmericanCapital.com
Dallas
2200 Ross Avenue
Suite 4500W
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 273-6630
(214) 273-6635 fax
DallasInfo@AmericanCapital.com
Chicago
5775 Sears Tower
233 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 681-7400
(312) 454-0600 fax
ChicagoInfo@AmericanCapital.com
Los Angeles
15303 Ventura Blvd.
Suite 1500
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 676-1222
(818) 676-1733 fax
LAInfo@AmericanCapital.com
Philadelphia
One Tower Bridge, Suite 250
100 Front Street
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
(610) 238-0210
(610) 828-9501 fax
PhilaInfo@AmericanCapital.com