Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the September quarter, the company's net investment income (NII) was $79.4 million, equating to $0.17 per common share, with a net asset value of $3 billion or $6.45 per common share [4] - The net debt to total assets ratio stood at 28.2%, with unsecured debt plus unsecured perpetual preferred accounting for 80.8% of total debt plus preferred [4] - Monthly common shareholder distributions of $0.045 per share were announced for November, December, and January, totaling over $4.6 billion distributed since the IPO [4] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has increased its focus on first lien senior secured middle market loans, with the first lien mix rising by 701 basis points to 71.1% from June 2024 [5] - The second lien senior secured middle market loans mix decreased by 292 basis points to 13.5%, while subordinated structured notes decreased by 808 basis points to 0.3% [5][8] - Investments during the quarter included a new investment in The Ridge, a healthcare services provider, and follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - As of September 2025, the company held 92 portfolio companies across 32 different industries, with an aggregate fair value of $6.5 billion [7] - The middle market lending strategy represented 85% of investments at cost, an increase of 864 basis points from June 2024 [7] - The real estate property portfolio at National Property REIT Corp represented 14% of investments at cost, with an unlevered investment level gross cash IRR of 24% since inception [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is repositioning its business by rotating assets into first lien senior secured loans and focusing on companies with less than $50 million of EBITDA, where competition is lower [5][10] - Future asset sale proceeds are expected to be redeployed primarily into more first lien senior secured loans and selected equity-linked investments [10] - The company aims to enhance portfolio company operations and utilize a cost-efficient floating rate revolver [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management highlighted a strong recurring revenue profile, with interest income making up 97% of total investment income [10] - Non-accruals as a percentage of total assets stood at approximately 0.7% based on fair market value, indicating a focus on capital preservation [10] - The company is optimistic about the future, focusing on smaller companies in the lower middle market to achieve higher yields [21] Other Important Information - The company completed the institutional issuance of approximately $168 million in senior unsecured notes due 2030, primarily for refinancing existing indebtedness [12] - As of September, the combined balance sheet cash and undrawn revolving credit facility commitments stood at $1.5 billion, with $4.2 billion of unencumbered assets [12] - The weighted average cost of unsecured debt financing was 4.54% as of September 30, 2025 [13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inquiry about equity-linked rotation and consumer finance holdings - Management indicated a preference for first lien and senior secured loans, with a focus on optimizing the portfolio by evaluating each investment based on foregone yield and IRR [16][19] - The company is actively rotating appreciated assets into more income-producing properties, particularly in real estate, while maintaining a thoughtful approach to asset sales [20][22] Question: Discussion on the Israeli bond and unsecured financing - Management confirmed that the Israeli bond issuance is a new channel and not a one-off, with plans to continue expanding their presence in diversified financing [29][30] - The company emphasized the importance of diversified funding sources to mitigate counterparty risk and maintain a strong credit profile [32][33]

Core Insights - The CEF/ETF Income Laboratory manages portfolios targeting approximately 8% yields through closed-end funds (CEFs) and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to simplify income investing [2] - CLO ETFs, which invest in collateralized loan obligations, provide above-average dividend yields and have outperformed fixed-rate peers since inception, despite some recent dividend cuts due to Federal Reserve actions [2] Group 1: Investment Strategy - The service focuses on high-yield opportunities in the CEF and ETF space, catering to both active and passive investors of varying experience levels [2] - Most holdings in the CEF/ETF Income Laboratory are monthly payers, which facilitates faster compounding and steady income streams [2] Group 2: Analyst Background - Juan de la Hoz has extensive experience in fixed income trading, financial analysis, and operations, with a focus on dividend, bond, and income funds, particularly ETFs [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the quarter ending March, the company's net investment income (NII) was $83.5 million, or $0.19 per common share, with a net asset value (NAV) of $3.2 billion, or $7.25 per common share [5] - The net debt to total assets ratio stood at 28.7%, with unsecured debt plus unsecured preferred accounting for 87.5% of total debt plus preferred [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The portfolio at fair value comprised 65.5% first lien debt, up 650 basis points from the prior year, while senior secured second lien debt decreased to 10.5%, down 410 basis points [7] - The company originated $196 million in investments during the quarter, with $149 million (76%) in first lien loans [12] - The real estate property portfolio yielded an income of 4.5% for the quarter, with an unrealized gain of $460 million as of March [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The weighted average EBITDA per portfolio company was just under $100 million, with non-accruals as a percentage of total assets at approximately 0.6% [11] - The company experienced $192 million in repayments and exits, resulting in net originations of $4.5 million for the quarter [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on lower middle market lending, prioritizing first lien senior secured loans, and aims to rotate its portfolio to enhance yields [24][26] - The strategy includes a gradual reduction of the National Property REIT Corp (NPRC) portfolio while exploring additional asset sales [21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the current operating environment is affected by macroeconomic factors, including interest rate hikes, which have slowed the pacing of exits from the real estate portfolio [21] - The company is under-levered compared to peers, with a debt to total capital ratio around 30%, allowing for potential leverage to enhance net investment income [27] Other Important Information - The company has a strong liquidity position with $1.7 billion in combined balance sheet cash and undrawn revolving credit facility commitments [13] - The weighted average cost of unsecured debt financing was 4.33% as of March [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Regarding low other income from NPRC this quarter - Management explained that the slowdown in other income is due to the pacing of exits being affected by macroeconomic conditions, but they expect normalization in the future [20][22] Question: On dividend coverage and potential levers to pull - Management indicated that they are prioritizing lower middle market lending and are exploring portfolio rotation to boost yields, while also considering leverage options [24][27] Question: Anticipation of preferreds ramping up - Management confirmed that they will prioritize both unsecured debt and preferred financing, emphasizing their diverse financing sources [29][30]