Bain Capital Specialty Finance(BCSF) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q4 net investment income per share was $0.52, representing an annualized yield on book value of 11.8$2.09, equal to an 11.8% return on equity, with earnings per share at $1.85, representing a total return on equity of 10.9$17.65, down from $17.76 in the previous quarter but up from$17.60 in Q4 2023 [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New fundings during Q4 totaled $547 million across 88 portfolio companies, with$317 million into 15 new companies and $230 million into 73 existing companies [26] - For the full year, fundings were$1.7 billion, more than double the volumes in 2023, with total sales and repayment activity for the year at $1.5 billion [26][27] - The investment portfolio size increased by 6$1.7 billion in loans, more than double the 2023 volumes, despite subdued broader M&A activity [15][16] - The weighted average spread on new originations was approximately 560 basis points, with a yield of 10.2% and median leverage levels of 4.4 times [18][19] - Credit quality remained strong, with investments on non-accrual decreasing to 1.3% at amortized cost and 0.2% at fair value as of December 31 [19][33] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company remains focused on the middle-market segment, favoring higher spread premiums and stronger lending controls through financial covenants [17] - The strategy includes maintaining majority control positions in nearly 80% of debt tranches to drive outcomes [18] - The company is optimistic about increased M&A activity in 2025, positioning itself well to capitalize on growth opportunities [24][46] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the execution of the investment strategy, highlighting stable credit quality and attractive levels of investment income [46] - The outlook for increased M&A activity in 2025 is expected to drive middle-market loan volumes higher [24] - Management noted that the spread tightening observed over the past two years has stabilized, with current spreads aligning with historical averages [51][59] Other Important Information - The company declared a first-quarter dividend of $0.42 per share, with total dividends for 2024 amounting to$1.80 per share, a 13% increase from 2023 [12][14] - The company has a strong liquidity position with $170 million of total available liquidity as of the end of Q4 [23][43] - The average non-accrual rates since inception remain low at approximately 1% of cost, significantly below the BDC sector averages [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the spread dynamics and how they compare historically? - Management indicated that the fourth quarter originations had a spread over SOFR of about 560 basis points, which is about 20 basis points tighter than Q2 originations [50][51] Question: How do current spreads compare to term sheets submitted recently? - Management noted that current term sheets are in the 525 to 550 basis points range, indicating stability in spreads compared to previous years [55] Question: Is there a difference in terms of new LBO opportunities versus follow-on deals? - Management suggested that new LBO deals might be on the lower end of the spread range, while follow-on deals could be slightly higher, reflecting historical spread levels [58]