Eagle Point Credit Co Inc.(ECC) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated a GAAP return on common equity of negative 14.6% during 2025, which is slightly better than the market-wide assessment by Nomura Research, which estimated a median CLO equity return of negative 15% for the same period [6][17] - As of December 31, the company's NAV was $5.70 per share, down from $7 per share on September 30 [7] - The fourth quarter of 2025 saw a net investment income (NII) less realized losses of -$0.26 per share, compared to -$0.16 per share in the third quarter [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company completed 10 resets and 3 refinancings of its CLOs in the fourth quarter alone, participating in 34 resets and 27 refinancings throughout 2025 [8] - Recurring cash flows from the portfolio increased to $80 million, or $0.61 per share, up from $77 million or $0.59 per share in the prior quarter [7] - The non-CLO portion of the investment portfolio was approximately 26% at year-end, reflecting a strategic shift towards credit assets beyond CLO equity [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The trailing twelve-month default rate decreased from 1.5% in September to 1.2% as of December 31, significantly below the long-term average of 2.6% [22] - The S&P UBS Leveraged Loan Index posted a 1.2% return for the fourth quarter and a 5.9% return for the full year 2025 [21] - CLO new issuance volumes rose slightly to $55 billion in the fourth quarter, bringing the total for 2025 to $209 billion, surpassing the previous year's record [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on increasing exposure to credit assets beyond CLO equity, reflecting a strategic decision to maximize total return for shareholders [10] - A new joint venture was launched to invest in regulatory capital relief transactions, with plans to add more JVs over time [12] - The company aims to retain more capital for investments with attractive risk-adjusted returns, supporting sustained cash flow and long-term total return [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while defaults remain below long-term averages, spread compression in the loan market and negative sentiment towards credit have impacted financial performance [4] - The outlook for 2026 suggests continued opportunities for capital deployment in both CLO equity and other credit asset classes, with expectations of a stable or growing NAV over time [15][25] - Management anticipates that the loan market fundamentals will remain stable, despite potential volatility due to external factors [21] Other Important Information - The company announced a $100 million common stock repurchase program to buy stock in the open market if it trades at a material discount to NAV [14] - The company redeemed its 8% Series F Term Preferred Stock, which was the highest cost of financing, and proactively repurchased $9 million of other securities at discounts [12][13] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of captive CLO equity funds on fee structures - Management acknowledged that CLOs without internal management fees could outperform those with fees, but noted that spread compression affects all funds [30][32] Question: Outlook for resets and refinancings in 2026 - Management indicated that predicting the exact number of resets and refinancings is challenging, as it depends on market conditions, particularly AAA spreads [61] Question: Strategy for stock repurchase program - Management stated that decisions on stock repurchases will consider share price, leverage ratios, and investment opportunities, balancing between repurchases and capital deployment [50][52] Question: Trends in credit quality and expenses - Management expects credit quality trends to mirror those of the previous year, with no significant uptick in credit expenses anticipated [45][46]