The Government Just Turned This 12.5% Dividend Back ON

Core Insights - The end of the government shutdown is a significant relief for small businesses, allowing them to resume operations and cash flow [2][3]. Group 1: Impact on Small Businesses - Small businesses are experiencing a resurgence as government payments resume, particularly benefiting defense contractors and tech suppliers [3]. - FS Credit Opportunities (FSCO), a small business lender, has a 3.7% stake in TCFIII Owl Finance, which is poised to benefit from the unlocking of contracts [4]. - FSCO also lends to Penn Foster, an online education platform, which can now restart funding and enrollments after federal job grants were frozen during the shutdown [5]. Group 2: Performance of FSCO - FSCO's net asset value (NAV) has increased by 1.7% in 2025 despite the disruptions caused by the shutdown [7]. - FSCO has maintained its monthly dividend payments, increasing from 6 cents to 6.8 cents per share, yielding 12.5% annually [8]. - The current trading price of FSCO is at a 10% discount to its NAV, presenting a potential opportunity for contrarian investors [10][11].