Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q2 2025, adjusted net investment income (NII) was $20 million, an increase from $18.4 million in Q2 2024, with fee income accounting for about half of the $1.6 million increase [6] - Adjusted NII per share was $0.57 for both periods, reflecting an increase in average shares outstanding due to the equity ATM program [7] - Total investment income for Q2 was $40 million, a $3.5 million increase from Q1 2025, driven by higher interest income and fee income [12] - Total expenses for Q2 were $21.3 million, a $3.1 million increase over Q1, primarily due to higher capital gains incentive fees and interest expenses [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The debt portfolio totaled $1 billion on a fair value basis, with 81% consisting of first lien investments, while the equity portfolio stood at $138.8 million, or 12% of the total portfolio [10] - The weighted average effective yield on debt investments was 13.1% as of June 30, slightly down from 13.2% at the end of Q1 [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that M&A activity was dampened in Q2 due to economic and tariff policy uncertainty but showed signs of improvement in late Q2 and into Q3 [6][20] - The company’s portfolio remains diversified by industry, with non-accrual companies under 1% of the total portfolio on a fair value basis [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to grow net asset value over time by carefully selecting high-quality companies with defensive characteristics and positive growth outlooks [11] - The investment strategy focuses on generating attractive risk-adjusted returns while preserving capital in the fragmented lower middle market [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the increase in deal flow, indicating a better environment for investment activity in the latter half of Q3 and into Q4 [20][23] - The company is well-positioned to grow its portfolio, although repayment activity is expected to be episodic and not as high as in the previous quarter [22][23] Other Important Information - The net asset value grew slightly to $692.3 million at quarter end compared to $677.9 million as of March 31, 2025 [8] - The board declared a total dividend of $0.57 per share for 2025, which includes a supplemental dividend of $0.14 per share [7] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the outlook for M&A activity in the second half of the year? - Management noted that while Q1 had decent deal flow, Q2 saw a drop due to uncertainty, but activity has improved in late Q2 and continues into Q3, with expectations for a decent market in the latter half of the year [20][23] Question: Are there any changes in the competitive environment? - Management indicated that while the market remains competitive, there has been an increase in competition over the past few years, particularly in the lower middle market [25][26] Question: Can we expect the prepayment fees to decrease in Q3? - Management agreed that the prepayment fees and accelerated amortization seen in Q2 are not expected to repeat at the same levels in Q3 [28] Question: Can you provide insights on Quest Software's performance? - Management described Quest as a cybersecurity solutions provider with a solid long-term outlook, although it has faced challenges due to being over-leveraged and higher interest rates [34] Question: What is the priority for financial sponsors regarding capital structure? - Management noted that financial sponsors are looking for ways to return capital to LPs, but the level of dividend income may not be recurring and is often episodic [38]