Stellus Capital Investment Corp (SCM) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Market ...

In This Article:

  • GAAP Net Investment Income: $0.35 per share.

  • Core Net Investment Income: $0.37 per share, excluding estimated excise taxes.

  • Net Asset Value Per Share: Decreased by $0.21 during the quarter.

  • Investment Portfolio at Fair Value: $991.1 million across 110 portfolio companies.

  • New Investments: $46.7 million in seven new portfolio companies.

  • Repayments: One full repayment totaling $8.5 million and $6.5 million of other repayments at par.

  • Secured Loans: 98% of loans were secured.

  • Floating Rate Loans: 91% of loans were priced at floating rates.

  • Nonaccrual Loans: Loans to five portfolio companies, comprising 6.7% of total cost and 4% of fair value.

  • Notes Issuance: $75 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.25% notes due April 1, 2030.

  • Dividend Declaration: $0.40 per share for the second quarter, payable monthly.

Release Date: May 13, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Stellus Capital Investment Corp (NYSE:SCM) generated $0.35 per share of GAAP net investment income and $0.37 per share of core net investment income in the first quarter.

  • The company issued 656,085 shares for $9.3 million at an average gross price of $14.11, all above net asset value, indicating strong market confidence.

  • 98% of Stellus Capital Investment Corp's loans are secured, and 91% are priced at floating rates, providing a stable and flexible income stream.

  • The company received a green light letter from the Small Business Administration for Stellus Capital SBIC III, which is a positive step towards obtaining a license.

  • Stellus Capital Investment Corp declared a dividend for the second quarter at a rate of $0.40 per share, payable monthly, demonstrating a commitment to returning value to shareholders.

Negative Points

  • Net asset value per share decreased by $0.21 during the quarter due to company-specific write-downs in the loan portfolio and a reduction of spillover income.

  • Five portfolio companies are on nonaccrual status, comprising 6.7% of the total cost and 4% of the fair value of the total loan portfolio.

  • The pipeline for new investments is slower compared to three months ago, partly due to market disruptions and tariff-related uncertainties.

  • The adjusted net investment income was slightly below the dividend payout, indicating potential challenges in covering dividends with current earnings.

  • Stellus Capital Investment Corp anticipates needing to issue more unsecured debt before the maturity of existing bonds, which could impact future financial flexibility.