There are lots of ways to earn big yield in this market, and the BDC space (business development companies) is ripe with opportunities. And while BDCs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes (data is shared in this report), one that stands out is Trinity Capital (TRIN) because of its growth-sector niche (arguably better aligned with the “new” US economy), internal management team (less conflicts of interest) and outstanding 14% dividend yield. This report reviews all of that, plus the big risks Trintiy currently faces, and then concludes with my strong opinion on investing.
BH High Income Portfolio: 9.5% Yield, Lots of Opportunities
The drumbeat of “AI/Growth Stock Bubble” marches on, yet high-income investors continue to sleep well at night. If you are a member of this distinguished income-focused group (or even just a casual small-time allocator), BDCs, stock & bond CEFs and dividend stocks continue to offer attractive opportunities. This report shares the latest update on the BH High Income Portfolio (25 positions, 9.5% aggregate yield) and one 13.7% yield BDC in the portfolio that I am watching closely. Enjoy!
Top 10 BDCs: Contrarian Yield in a Greedy Market
Business Development Companies (BDCs) continue to provide big steady yields (income) to investors despite a challenging BDC environment, including interest rate volatility, increasing competition and economic uncertainty. Although BDC strategies are varied, they generally provide loans to riskier private business where traditional bank lending is less suitable, and then reduce aggregate risks by doing so through a diversified portfolio (within their areas of expertise). Many are facing selling pressure (see 14-day money flow index) and some trade below book value (generally an indication of fear, depending the the particular BDC strategy). Increasingly compelling contrarian yield opportunities in an otherwise greedy market environment.
Attractive BDC: Despite Risks, 14.3% Yield Worth Considering
The BDC I review in this report looks good for its big well-covered distribution, early growth-stage investments (RocketLab, for instance), internal management team, investment grade credit rating and reasonable valuation. Of course there are risks (industry concentration, interest rates, and an increasingly competitive BDC space) but within the constructs of a prudently-concentrated high-income portfolio, it’s absolutely worth considering for investment.
Update: 40 Big-Yield BDCs, Silicon Valley Bank Warning
As mentioned in our previous note, BDCs are like banks, only riskier. Not only are BDCs facing increasing stress due to slowing economic growth and increasing interest rates (i.e. the tradeoff between higher floating rate interest payments received and higher default risk on loans), but some BDCs (such as those focused on venture capital) are dramatically over-exposed to fallout from the Silicon Valley Bank mess. In this note, we share updated data on 40 BDCs, and then dive deeper into 4 specific venture-capital-focused BDCs—and how we expect them to fare in light of the SVB mess—buyer beware!
Tempting 17.4% Yield BDC: 20% Discount to Book, But Know the Risks
The tempting Business Development Company (“BDC”) we review in this report offers a 17.4% dividend yield (the shares are down 38% this year) and it trades at a 20% discount to its book value. However, it faces significant risks including industry-wide BDC headwinds (yes—rising rates help net interest margins, but also increase portfolio-company default risks, especially with the economy heading towards recession) and company-specific challenges (the business strategy is somewhat unique). In this report, we review the business, the risks, the dividend and the valuation, and then conclude with our opinion on investing.