Core Insights - Wendel Group's net asset value (NAV) per share decreased to €167.7 as of June 30, 2025, reflecting a 5.1% decline from March 31, 2025, primarily due to foreign exchange impacts and dividend payments [11][12][13] - The company is implementing a semi-annual interim dividend policy starting in November 2025, with an interim dividend of €1.50 per share [5][10] - Wendel's asset management platform has reached €39 billion in assets under management (AUM), with significant fundraising momentum and revenue growth [7][25][30] Financial Performance - Consolidated net sales for H1 2025 amounted to €4,177.6 million, representing a 7.2% increase overall and a 3.9% organic growth year-to-date [6][66] - The net income from operations for H1 2025 was €4.3 million, a significant decrease from €388.2 million in H1 2024, largely due to a capital gain from the disposal of Constantia Flexibles in the previous year [68][67] - Management fees from asset management activities totaled €152 million, with fee-related earnings (FRE) reaching €59 million, reflecting a more than threefold increase compared to the previous year [27][26] Strategic Developments - Wendel's acquisition of Monroe Capital and the partnership with IK Partners are pivotal in expanding its third-party asset management capabilities, aiming for €150 million in pre-tax FRE by 2027 [10][25][72] - The company successfully executed a forward sale of 6.7% of Bureau Veritas' share capital, generating net proceeds of approximately €750 million, enhancing financial flexibility [22][4] - New leadership appointments at Crisis Prevention Institute and Scalian are part of Wendel's strategy to navigate complex market conditions and drive growth [4][57] Asset Management Insights - The asset management platform's AUM has increased by 187% year-to-date, with €4.3 billion raised in H1 2025 without any sponsor money from Wendel [30][27] - The platform is focused on mid-market private markets, with a strong pipeline of acquisition opportunities to further enhance its growth [7][30] - The contribution from asset management activities positively impacted NAV, with a total increase of €3.8 per share at constant exchange rates [15][30] Investment Portfolio Performance - Listed assets represented 38% of gross asset value, with a 5.0% increase in value driven by share price increases of Bureau Veritas, IHS, and Tarkett [4][33] - Unlisted assets saw a decline of 4.8% in value, primarily due to changes in multiples and operational performance [4][14] - Total sales of group companies increased by 3.9% organically, indicating a positive trend in operational performance [4][66]

Financial Performance - Blackstone Secured Lending Fund reported a strong quarter with net investment income per share of $083[2] - The company's dividend is well-covered, with a coverage ratio of 108%[2,11] - The annualized net investment income return is 121%[11] - The company declared a second quarter 2025 dividend of $077 per share[3] Portfolio Composition and Risk Management - The portfolio is primarily composed of first lien senior secured debt, representing 982% of the investments[2,11,25] - The average loan-to-value ratio is 474%[2,11,25] - Non-accrual debt investments are minimal, accounting for only 03% of the portfolio[2,11,13] - Floating rate debt investments represent 988% of the portfolio[13,26] Funding and Liquidity - The company has approximately $128 billion in investments at fair value[6,26] - Available liquidity is $34 billion, providing material capacity[52]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2024, the company generated net investment income of $0.47 per share, representing an annualized yield of over 11% based on the December 31 NAV [11] - The total investment income for the fourth quarter was $56 million, consistent with the prior quarter, primarily due to a higher average portfolio balance [18] - The net asset value as of December 31 was $16.80 per share, slightly down from $16.85 per share as of September 30 [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The direct lending platform achieved record deployment levels in both Q4 and the full year of 2024, growing the portfolio by approximately $100 million in the quarter [12] - 94% of 2024 originations were in first lien investments, with an average loan-to-value ratio under 40% [12] - The median EBITDA across the portfolio was $88 million, indicating strong underlying performance [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company maintained a diversified portfolio with 189 investments in 135 companies across more than 25 industries, with average exposure in any single portfolio company being less than 1% of total assets [15] - Non-accruals remained stable at 0.6% of total investments at fair value, reflecting overall stability in credit quality [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company proposed a strategic affiliate merger with Carlyle Secured Lending 3, expected to enhance scale, liquidity, and operational efficiencies [13][28] - The company aims to increase origination activity while prioritizing credit performance and maintaining a diversified portfolio [15] - The company has received investment grade ratings from Fitch and Moody's, allowing for the issuance of its first institutional bond deal [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to leverage the broader Carlyle network for maximum recoveries for underperforming borrowers [22] - The company anticipates an accelerating deal environment in 2025, with a focus on sourcing transactions with significant equity cushions and conservative leverage profiles [26][29] - Management highlighted strong market demand for private credit and a growing pipeline of new originations [28][29] Other Important Information - The total dividend declared for Q4 2024 was $0.45 per share, consisting of a base dividend of $0.40 and a supplemental dividend of $0.05 [19] - The company reported a total aggregate realized and unrealized net loss of about $4 million for the quarter, primarily due to a markdown on an investment in Aimbridge [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inquiry about the joint venture and future plans - Management indicated that the consolidation of MMCF 2 onto the balance sheet would free up non-qualifying asset capacity, with plans to ramp up the first JV and potentially return capital from that vehicle in the near term [34][36] Question: Clarification on tax line drop in Q4 - Management confirmed that the drop was a year-end true-up based on the audit, with expectations for future quarters to be in line with prior periods [38] Question: Discussion on growth plans for the BDC - Management stated that the current focus is on capital deployment and completing the merger process, with future growth initiatives to be considered afterward [40] Question: Inquiry about fee income in Q4 - Management noted that fee income and OID acceleration were lower than historical averages, with an incremental dividend from the JV impacting the income line [45] Question: Clarification on the incremental dividend related to the joint venture - Management confirmed that the incremental dividend was about $1.2 million, impacting net investment income by approximately two cents per share for the quarter [51]