Over the past several years, business development companies have been a focal point of my coverage on Seeking Alpha. Following several years of rising interest rates and the proliferation of private lending, business development companies have stolen the spotlight asAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of PBDC either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it ...

Core Viewpoint - WhiteHorse Finance reported its financial results for Q2 2025, highlighting ongoing portfolio challenges but expressing confidence in the overall stability of its investments [2][3]. Financial Results - Total investment income for Q2 2025 was $18.838 million, a slight increase of 0.2% from $18.801 million in Q1 2025 [3]. - Total expenses, including excise tax, rose to $12.276 million, up 2.7% from $11.958 million in the previous quarter [3]. - Net investment income decreased to $6.562 million, down 4.1% from $6.843 million in Q1 2025, with a per-share income of $0.282 compared to $0.294 [3][18]. - The company declared a distribution of $0.385 per share for Q2 2025, consistent with the previous quarter [7][8]. Portfolio and Investment Activity - As of June 30, 2025, the fair value of the investment portfolio was $629.3 million, down 3.3% from $651.0 million as of March 31, 2025 [4]. - The portfolio consisted of 132 positions across 71 companies, with a weighted average effective yield of 11.9% on income-producing debt investments [4]. - During Q2 2025, the company invested $33.1 million in three new portfolio companies and added $5.9 million to existing companies [5]. Asset Management - The company transferred assets totaling $22.8 million to STRS JV in exchange for cash during the quarter [6]. - The net realized losses for the quarter were $22.045 million, while net unrealized appreciation was $17.733 million [3]. Shareholder Information - The distribution of $0.385 per share will be payable on October 3, 2025, to stockholders of record as of September 19, 2025 [7]. - The company has maintained distributions at or above $0.355 for 51 consecutive quarters since its IPO [8]. Management Commentary - The CEO noted that while earnings power remains below prior-year levels, progress is being made in resolving underperforming investments [2]. - The focus remains on credits with strong fundamentals, leveraging diversified sourcing capabilities and disciplined underwriting [2].

Core Insights - Business Development Companies (BDCs) are facing challenges due to the higher interest rate environment, which has made it difficult for many to thrive [1] - A hybrid investment strategy that combines classic dividend growth stocks with BDCs, REITs, and Closed End Funds can enhance investment income while achieving total returns comparable to traditional index funds like the S&P [1] Industry Overview - The current economic climate, characterized by elevated interest rates, is exerting pressure on BDCs, impacting their operational performance and growth potential [1] Investment Strategy - A diversified investment approach that includes high-quality dividend stocks alongside BDCs can provide a robust framework for generating income and long-term growth [1]

Core Viewpoint - Hamilton Insurance reported quarterly earnings of $1.55 per share, significantly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.01 per share, marking an earnings surprise of +53.47% [1] - The company also posted revenues of $740.77 million for the quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 25.20% [2] Financial Performance - The earnings of $1.55 per share represent an increase from $1.20 per share a year ago [1] - Over the last four quarters, Hamilton Insurance has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times and topped revenue estimates two times [2] - The company has seen a year-to-date stock price increase of approximately 11.3%, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 7.1% [3] Future Outlook - The company's earnings outlook will be crucial for future stock performance, with current consensus EPS estimates of $0.65 for the upcoming quarter and $3.23 for the current fiscal year [7] - The Zacks Rank for Hamilton Insurance is currently 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [6] - The Insurance - Multi line industry is currently ranked in the top 39% of Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to lower-ranked industries [8]

OBDC Highlights - OBDC's portfolio has a size of $169 billion across 233 portfolio companies[2] - The asset mix is heavily weighted towards senior secured debt, with 81% senior secured and 76% first lien investments[2] - The portfolio yield is 106% and the dividend yield is 104%[2] - OBDC's net debt-to-equity leverage is 117x[2] - The company's market capitalization is $72 billion[2] Blue Owl's Credit Platform - Blue Owl manages a market-leading credit business with $146 billion in AUM[3,10] - Diversified lending accounts for $75 billion of the credit platform's AUM[10] - BDCs make up more than half of Blue Owl's Credit platform AUM[10] Investment Strategy and Portfolio - Blue Owl primarily focuses on making debt and equity investments in U S upper middle-market companies[3] - The company's direct lending platform has extensive sponsor relationships with 800+ financial sponsors[3,13,35] - The average annual net loss rate is 7 basis points since the inception of the direct lending business in 2016[3] Financial Performance - The company has a total return of 92% since inception[32,35] - The portfolio is downside protected, with 81% senior secured and 98% floating rate investments[32] - The company's Q2 2025 net asset value per share was $1503[38]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the potential for a divergence between the Federal Reserve's interest rates and the 10-year Treasury rates, suggesting that this could create investment opportunities, particularly in a specific business development company (BDC) called Main Street Capital (MAIN) [3][4][8]. Economic Context - The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow model indicates a solid economic growth rate of 2.9%, which may lead to increased stimulus as the election cycle approaches [5]. - Option traders anticipate that the Fed will cut rates by at least 50 basis points by the end of the year, coinciding with the potential replacement of Fed Chair Jerome Powell in May [6]. Company Overview: Main Street Capital (MAIN) - MAIN is identified as a BDC that lends to small- and mid-sized businesses, focusing on firms with revenues between $25 million and $500 million [9]. - The company has a balanced debt structure, with 77% of its outstanding debt obligations being fixed rate and 68% of its debt investments being floating-rate, providing insulation against interest rate fluctuations [12]. Dividend Insights - MAIN's dividend yield is reported at approximately 4.7%, but the trailing-12-month yield, which accounts for supplemental dividends, is significantly higher at 5.7% [13][14]. - The company has a strong track record of maintaining its dividend payouts, having never cut or suspended them in its 18-year history [14]. Portfolio Diversification - MAIN's investment portfolio is diversified across 189 companies, with no single investment exceeding 3.2% of investment income, thereby spreading risk effectively [15]. Performance Metrics - Since the recommendation to buy in May 2025, MAIN has outperformed the BDC index fund, achieving a 22% increase, which translates to a 91% annualized return [16].

Summary of Golub BDC Q3 2025 Earnings Report Core Viewpoint - Golub BDC (NASDAQ: GBDC) has released its earnings report for fiscal Q3 2025, highlighting both positive and negative aspects of its performance, leading to a revised outlook for the company based on new data available. Financial Performance - The earnings report indicates a mixed performance for Golub BDC, with specific financial metrics that may influence investor sentiment and future projections [1]. Investment Strategy - The focus on dividend investing is emphasized as a key strategy for achieving financial freedom, suggesting that Golub BDC's dividend policy plays a significant role in its attractiveness to investors [1]. Analyst Background - The analysis is conducted by a finance professional with extensive experience in M&A and business valuation, indicating a thorough understanding of the financial landscape and the company's position within it [1]. Sector Focus - The analyst's coverage includes various sectors such as technology, real estate, software, finance, and consumer staples, which are also reflected in the investment portfolio [1].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted net investment income (NII) per share was $0.39, corresponding to a return on equity of 10.4% [5] - Adjusted net income per share was $0.34, with a return on equity of 9.1% [5] - The internal rate of return for GBDC shareholders since IPO is 9.6% over fifteen years [5] - Net asset value (NAV) per share decreased by $0.04 to $15 due to net unrealized losses [11][14] - Net debt to equity increased modestly to 1.26 turns, with average net leverage at 1.21 turns [12][20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Investment portfolio grew by 4% quarter over quarter, reaching just under $9 billion at fair value [10] - New investment commitments totaled $557 million, with $411 million funded and $306 million in repayments [10] - Investments on nonaccrual status remained low at 60 basis points of the total investment portfolio [8][14] - The weighted average rate on new investments was 9.2%, while repaid investments had a rate of 9.8% [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The investment income yield was 10.6%, a sequential decline of 20 basis points [9][15] - The cost of debt decreased to 5.7%, reflecting a floating rate debt funding structure [15][20] - Nearly 90% of the investment portfolio remains in the highest performing internal rating categories [7][17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - GBDC focuses on providing first lien senior secured loans to middle market companies backed by strong private equity sponsors [4] - The company remains selective in underwriting, closing on just 3.1% of deals reviewed [10] - GBDC aims to minimize realized credit losses and proactively address borrower underperformance [32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management expects a protracted credit cycle to continue, with elevated default rates likely persisting [24][29] - There is optimism regarding the M&A environment improving slowly in the remainder of the year and more quickly next year [30][31] - Management emphasizes the importance of humility in forecasting due to the unpredictable nature of the current economic environment [22][32] Other Important Information - Total distributions paid in the quarter were $0.39 per share, representing an annualized dividend yield of 10.4% [12] - The liquidity position remains strong, with approximately $950 million available from unrestricted cash and undrawn commitments [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is it fair to say that you're expecting a significant wave of repayments to eventually lever down? - Management indicated that while there are some repayments in the pipeline, they do not anticipate significant deleveraging or further leveraging [35][36] Question: Do you think the lag time between liquid loan markets and BDC will remain the same? - Management acknowledged that private credit spreads are stickier, especially in the middle market, but significant spread compression has been observed in the broader market [41][42]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - GBDC reported adjusted net investment income (NII) per share of $0.39, corresponding to a return on equity of 10.4% [4] - Adjusted net income per share was $0.34, with a return on equity of 9.1% [4] - The internal rate of return for GBDC shareholders since IPO is 9.6% over fifteen years [4] - The net asset value (NAV) per share decreased by $0.04 to $15, primarily due to net unrealized losses [10][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - GBDC's investment portfolio grew by 4% quarter over quarter, reaching just under $9 billion at fair value [9] - New investment commitments totaled $557 million, with $411 million funded during the quarter [9] - The weighted average rate on new investments was 9.2%, while repaid investments had a weighted average rate of 9.8% [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - GBDC's investment income yield was 10.6%, a sequential decline of about 20 basis points [7][16] - Nonaccrual investments remained low at 60 basis points of the total investment portfolio at fair value, below the industry average [7][18] - The median EBITDA for new originations was $79 million, indicating a focus on resilient middle-market companies [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - GBDC's investment strategy focuses on providing first lien senior secured loans to middle-market companies backed by strong private equity sponsors [3] - The company remains selective in underwriting, closing on just 3.1% of deals reviewed, with a weighted average loan-to-value (LTV) of approximately 34% [9] - GBDC aims to minimize realized credit losses and proactively address borrower underperformance [34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expects a protracted credit cycle to continue, with elevated default rates across public and private credit markets [25][30] - The M&A environment is anticipated to improve slowly in the remainder of the year and more quickly next year, despite ongoing tariff uncertainties [32] - Management emphasizes the importance of maintaining a humble approach to forecasting in the current unpredictable environment [24] Other Important Information - Total distributions paid in the quarter were $0.39 per share, representing an annualized dividend yield of 10.4% based on NAV [11] - GBDC's liquidity position remains strong, ending the quarter with approximately $950 million in liquidity [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Regarding leverage, is it fair to say that you're expecting a significant wave of repayments to eventually lever down? - Management acknowledged that while there are some repayments in the pipeline, they do not anticipate significant deleveraging or further leveraging [37][38] Question: With spreads across floating rate markets being tight, do you think the lag time between liquid loan markets and BDC will remain the same? - Management confirmed that there has been significant spread compression in the broadly syndicated market, and while private credit spreads are stickier, they are not immune to these trends [42][43]

Financial Performance - The adjusted net investment income per share remained solid at $0.39, resulting in an adjusted NII ROE of 10.4%[10] - Adjusted earnings per share were $0.34, yielding an adjusted ROE of 9.1%[10] - The company declared a quarterly base distribution of $0.39 per share for FY 2025 Q3, with a distribution coverage of approximately 100%[10] - As of June 30, 2025, the dividend yield was 10.4% based on the NAV[10] Portfolio and Credit Quality - The investment portfolio modestly increased to $9.0 billion at fair value, with $305.8 million in exits/sales and $556.8 million in new investment commitments (of which $410.8 million were funded at close)[10] - Net funds increased by $340.3 million, representing a 4% increase in portfolio size from March 31, 2025[10] - Approximately 90% of the total investment portfolio had internal performance ratings of '4' or '5'[10, 40] - Non-accrual investments remained low, accounting for 0.6% of total investments at fair value[10, 40] Balance Sheet and Liquidity - The net asset value was $15.00 per share, a decrease of $0.04 per share from $15.04 as of March 31, 2025[10] - The company repurchased approximately 2.4 million shares of its common stock at an aggregate price of $13.99 per share[10] - The GAAP debt-to-equity ratio, net increased to 1.26x, with an average of 1.21x for the quarter; 42% of debt funding is unsecured debt, and 82% is floating rate debt funding[10] - The weighted average cost of debt was 5.7%[10] - Total available liquidity amounted to $947.1 million[10]