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Golub Capital(GBDC) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

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]