For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – January 21, 2026 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses New Mountain Finance Corp. (NMFC) and Runway Growth Finance Corp. (RWAY) .Industry: Commercial FinanceLink: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/2819732/2-sbic-commercial-finance-stocks-to-buy-despite-industry-concernsWith interest rates declining, the Zacks SBIC & Commercial Finance industry is expected to face margin compression and lower investment income as the majority of loans are tied to floating rates. Asset qua ...

Core Industry Insights - The Zacks SBIC & Commercial Finance industry is facing margin compression and lower investment income due to declining interest rates, as most loans are tied to floating rates [5][6] - Asset quality is at risk as prolonged high rates may strain borrowers' ability to repay, although initial support from stimulus packages helped mitigate delinquency rates post-COVID-19 [7][8] - Regulatory changes, particularly the amendment to the Investment Company Act of 1940, have provided funding flexibility and growth opportunities for industry players [9][10] Industry Performance - The Zacks SBIC & Commercial Finance industry has underperformed the S&P 500 and the broader finance sector, with a collective loss of 13% over the past year compared to gains of 14.2% for the S&P 500 [15] - The industry's Zacks Industry Rank is 209, placing it in the bottom 14% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a discouraging earnings outlook [11][12][13] Valuation Metrics - The industry has a trailing 12-month price-to-tangible book (P/TB) ratio of 0.96X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's ratio of 12.55X, indicating a substantial discount compared to the market [17][18] Company Highlights - **Ares Capital Corp. (ARCC)**: A specialty finance firm focused on U.S. middle-market companies, with a market cap of $14.5 billion and total debt of $15.6 billion as of September 30, 2025. The company has seen growth in total investment income and is expected to continue this trend [19][21] - **Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC)**: A specialty finance company providing venture capital to technology and life science firms, with a market cap of $3.3 billion. The company maintains a robust balance sheet and is expected to benefit from rising demand for customized financing [22][24][25] - **Runway Growth Finance Corp. (RWAY)**: Focused on providing senior secured loans to growth-stage companies, with a market cap of $357.4 million. The company has posted steady growth in total investment income and is well-positioned to sustain this momentum [26][28][29]

Core Insights - Sound Income Strategies, LLC sold 177,473 shares of Hercules Capital for approximately $3.40 million, reducing its stake in the company [1][2] - Following the sale, Sound Income holds 2,752,867 shares of Hercules Capital, which represents 2.6% of its reportable U.S. equity assets [2][3] Company Overview - Hercules Capital reported a total revenue of $504 million and a net income of $257 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4] - The company has a dividend yield of 11.26% and its stock price was $17.06 as of October 9, 2025, reflecting a 15.17% decline over the past year [4][3] Business Model - Hercules Capital specializes in providing venture debt, senior secured loans, and growth capital primarily to privately held, venture capital-backed companies in technology, life sciences, and sustainable energy sectors [5][6] - The company targets emerging and growth-stage companies in the U.S., focusing on those seeking flexible financing solutions [5][6] Market Performance - Hercules Capital's stock has underperformed the S&P 500 by 23.78 percentage points over the past year, with a total return of -6.2% compared to the S&P 500's 14.2% [3][9] - The stock has seen a significant decline of nearly 15% in the last month alone, indicating a challenging market environment [9] Institutional Perspective - The sale of Hercules Capital shares by Sound Income Strategies is viewed as an adjustment rather than a significant directional call, as the firm retains over 2.7 million shares, making Hercules its third-largest position [10][8]

PennantPark Overview - PennantPark is an independent private credit platform investing since 2007, with over $26 billion of capital deployed[3] and $10 billion of AUM as of March 31, 2025[3] - The firm targets profitable, growing, and cash-flowing companies with $10 million to $50 million of EBITDA[9] - PennantPark actively covers 770+ middle market PE sponsors in the U S[11], closing deals with 240+ PE sponsors[11] Investment Strategy & Performance - PennantPark focuses on capital preservation, resulting in low annualized loss rates of 0 08% on first lien loans[17, 18] - The cumulative default rate on PennantPark's first lien loans is 3 34% based on capital invested[18] with a recovery rate of 72 8% on principal proceeds only and 91 8% on all proceeds[18] - PFLT's portfolio consists of 159 direct investments with a market value of $2 3 billion as of March 31, 2025[35] PFLT Financial Highlights - PFLT reported $25 0 million of Net Investment Income (NII) during the fiscal second quarter, with $0 28 of core NII per share[36] - PFLT's total assets were $2 472 billion as of March 2025, with a Net Asset Value of $1 067 billion[40] - PFLT has a historically consistent monthly dividend of $0 1025, with an annualized dividend yield on NAV of 11 1% during the quarter[36]