PROSPECT CAPITAL CORP (PSEC)·Q1 2026 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 FY2026 delivered stable core earnings: Net Investment Income (NII) $79.35M and $0.17 NII per share, flat sequentially and down year-over-year; GAAP net income to common turned positive at $48.09M ($0.10 per share) after two loss-making quarters .
- Revenue (Total Investment Income) fell to $157.62M, down 5.6% q/q and 19.7% y/y, and came in below thin Wall Street consensus ($169.53M, 1 estimate); GAAP EPS modestly missed consensus ($0.11, 1 estimate) with actual $0.10 .
- Portfolio quality continued to rotate toward first lien senior secured loans (71.1% at cost), while non‑accruals rose to 0.7% of total assets (fair value) from 0.3% in Q4; NAV/share edged down to $6.45 from $6.56 .
- Liquidity strengthened (cash + undrawn RCF $1.52B) and funding ladder extended via $168M senior unsecured 5.5% Series A Notes due 2030, supporting ongoing portfolio rotation and refinancing .
- Catalysts: continuing $0.045 monthly common dividends through January, portfolio de‑risking toward first lien loans, and NPRC property exits with attractive IRRs; near‑term debate centers on revenue miss, NAV drift, and rising non‑accruals .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- First lien mix increased 70 bps q/q and 701 bps vs June 2024 to 71.1% (cost), reinforcing credit quality and seniority focus .
- NPRC executed three additional property exits post July 1, 2025 generating ~$59M proceeds and an unlevered gross cash IRR of 22.8% (2.3x multiple); aggregate NPRC unrealized gain was ~$320M as of quarter end .
- Funding profile improved: $168M new 5.5% unsecured notes due 2030 and liquidity rose to $1.52B (cash + undrawn RCF), with unsecured + perpetual preferred at 80.8% of capital stack .
What Went Wrong
- Total Investment Income declined to $157.62M (−5.6% q/q; −19.7% y/y), reflecting portfolio repayments and mix shifts; origination activity was net negative (−$143.09M) .
- Non‑accruals rose to 0.7% of total assets (fair value) from 0.3% in Q4 and 0.5% a year ago, elevating credit risk discussion .
- NAV/share slipped to $6.45 from $6.56 in Q4, pressured by distributions and modest net unrealized losses; revenue missed Street consensus and GAAP EPS slightly missed* .
Financial Results
Core and GAAP Results vs Prior Periods
YoY context (Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025): Total Investment Income $157.624 vs $196.308; NII $79.350 vs $89.877; GAAP EPS $0.10 vs $(0.38) .
Estimates vs Actuals
Notes: Values retrieved from S&P Global*. Significant surprises: Revenue miss in Q1 2026 (−$11.9M vs consensus; −7.0%); GAAP EPS slight miss (−$0.01). Coverage is thin (single estimate), so interpret with caution*.
Portfolio Mix and Yield
KPIs and Capital
Guidance Changes
Dividend DRIP remains in place with 5% discount via DTC election .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Note: A public earnings call transcript for Q1 FY2026 was not available in our document set; call was scheduled for Nov 7, 2025 .
Management Commentary
- Strategic priorities: “Rotation of assets into and increased focus on our core business of first lien senior secured middle market loans… reduction in our second lien… exit of our subordinated structured notes… exit of targeted equity linked assets… enhancement of portfolio company operating performance; and greater utilization of our cost efficient revolving floating rate credit facility.”
- Middle‑market lending focus: “We continued our focus on first lien senior secured loans during the quarter, with such investments totaling $74.2 million of our $91.6 million of originations.”
- NPRC update: “We exited three property investments after July 1, 2025 for approximately $59 million of net proceeds… unlevered investment‑level gross cash IRR of 22.8%.”
- NPRC transaction quote: “This sale highlights our disciplined investment approach and focus on long-term value creation… allows Prospect Capital Corporation to redeploy capital into opportunities that further Prospect’s strategic objectives.” — Mack Levine, VP, NPRC .
Q&A Highlights
A full earnings call transcript was not available in the documents, and we could not retrieve Q&A content; the call was scheduled for Nov 7, 2025 . No Q&A highlights can be provided based on available primary sources.
Estimates Context
- EPS: GAAP EPS of $0.10 modestly missed the Primary EPS consensus mean of $0.11 (1 estimate); prior quarters also missed on GAAP EPS amid realized/unrealized losses .
- Revenue: Total Investment Income of $157.62M missed consensus of $169.53M (1 estimate)*; sequential decline aligns with net repayments and sales outpacing originations .
- Coverage: Only one estimate for EPS and revenue per quarter, limiting statistical significance; investors should focus on NII trajectory and portfolio mix over GAAP volatility in BDCs*.
Notes: Values retrieved from S&P Global*.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Core earnings stability: NII held at ~$79M and $0.17/share; focus on NII sustainability is appropriate given GAAP volatility from marks and realized losses .
- Credit quality tilt: First lien senior secured exposure rose to 71.1% (cost), with structured notes nearly exited; supports lower loss severity if credit cycle worsens .
- Watch credit trend: Non‑accruals increased to 0.7% (fair value); monitor Q2 for further movement and any idiosyncratic credits driving the change .
- NAV pressure vs distributions: NAV/share dipped to $6.45; distributions maintained at $0.045/month through January, implying continued cash returns but potential NAV drag absent capital gains .
- Funding and liquidity: $1.52B liquidity and $168M new 2030 notes extend runway for refinancing and originations; unsecured + preferred remain majority of the capital stack .
- Revenue/consensus gap: Revenue and GAAP EPS missed thin consensus*, a likely short‑term narrative headwind; however, Street coverage is limited and NII is the more relevant earnings lens for BDCs*.
- Medium‑term thesis: De‑risked portfolio, NPRC monetizations with attractive IRRs, and a long duration/liquidity profile support balance sheet resilience; execution hinges on maintaining NII and controlling non‑accruals .
Sources: All financials and commentary from PSEC Q1 FY2026 8-K press release and exhibits **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:0]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:1]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:2]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:3]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:6]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:7]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:8]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_a2025-9x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:9]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000342_psec-20251106.htm:2]**; prior quarters from Q4 FY2025 and Q3 FY2025 8-K press releases **[1287032_0001287032-25-000235_a2025-6x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:0]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000235_a2025-6x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:2]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000235_a2025-6x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:3]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000235_a2025-6x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:6]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000235_a2025-6x30xpsecearningsrel.htm:8]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000117_a2025-3x31xpsecearningsrel.htm:0]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000117_a2025-3x31xpsecearningsrel.htm:3]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000117_a2025-3x31xpsecearningsrel.htm:4]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000117_a2025-3x31xpsecearningsrel.htm:7]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000117_a2025-3x31xpsecearningsrel.htm:9]** **[1287032_0001287032-25-000117_a2025-3x31xpsecearningsrel.htm:10]**; NPRC press release **[1287032_58cf85b8970146918a40157673ceb162_0]**.
Estimates: S&P Global consensus means and # of estimates (asterisked values in tables and text).*