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Prospect Capital (PSEC)
NASDAQ:PSEC

Prospect Capital (PSEC) AI Stock Analysis

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PSEC

Prospect Capital

(NASDAQ:PSEC)

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Neutral 54 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:54Neutral
Price Target:
$2.50
▼(-6.02% Downside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/12/26
The score is held back primarily by unstable earnings and a sharp TTM revenue contraction, despite better recent cash generation and a generally moderate-leverage balance sheet. Technicals are also weak with price trading below key moving averages. Offsetting factors include a very high dividend yield and a generally constructive earnings-call outlook focused on de-risking, liquidity strength, and maintaining distributions.
Positive Factors
Higher-quality loan mix
A sustained rotation into first‑lien senior secured loans materially de‑risks the asset base: higher recovery priority and stronger collateral support reduce long‑run loss severity, improving downside protection and steadying interest income that funds distributions.
Robust liquidity and unencumbered assets
Large liquidity cushion and substantial unencumbered assets provide durable funding flexibility and optionality. This supports meeting distributions, execution of originations or opportunistic buys, and reduces near‑term refinancing stress across multiple adverse market scenarios.
Recent positive cash generation
Consistent positive operating and free cash flow in recent periods bolsters internal funding for distributions and reinvestment. While historically volatile, recent cash conversion reduces reliance on external capital and supports durable payout and balance sheet resilience over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Earnings and revenue volatility
Repeated swings between profits and losses and a steep TTM revenue decline impair earnings predictability and make distribution coverage uncertain. Persistent volatility complicates capital planning, weakens investor confidence, and raises the risk of future NAV pressure during credit cycles.
Heavy reliance on unsecured funding
Material dependence on unsecured instruments creates structural refinancing and cost‑of‑funding risk if credit markets tighten. Even with diversification, a large unsecured mix can amplify funding volatility and spread sensitivity, pressuring net yields and leverage management over several quarters.
Residual non‑cash PIK exposure
Although reduced, payment‑in‑kind income remains a meaningful share of investment revenue. PIK reduces actual cash receipts and can reaccelerate under stress, weakening cash coverage of distributions and increasing reinvestment timing risk during adverse credit conditions.

Prospect Capital (PSEC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Prospect Capital Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionProspect Capital Corporation is a business development company. It specializes in middle market, mature, mezzanine finance, later stage, emerging growth, leveraged buyouts, refinancing, acquisitions, recapitalizations, turnaround, growth capital, development, capital expenditures and subordinated debt tranches of collateralized loan obligations, cash flow term loans, market place lending and bridge transactions. It also makes real estate investments particularly in multi-family residential real estate asset class. The fund makes secured debt, senior debt, senior and secured term loans, unitranche debt, first-lien and second lien, private debt, private equity, mezzanine debt, and equity investments in private and microcap public businesses. It focuses on both primary origination and secondary loans/portfolios and invests in situations like debt financings for private equity sponsors, acquisitions, dividend recapitalizations, growth financings, bridge loans, cash flow term loans, real estate financings/investments. It also focuses on investing in small-sized and medium-sized private companies rather than large public companies. The fund typically invests across all industry sectors, with a particular expertise in the energy and industrial sectors. It invests in aerospace and defense, chemicals, conglomerate services, consumer services, ecological, electronics, financial services, machinery, manufacturing, media, pharmaceuticals, retail, software, specialty minerals, textiles and leather, transportation, oil and gas production, coal production, materials, industrials, consumer discretionary, information technology, utilities, pipeline, storage, power generation and distribution, renewable and clean energy, oilfield services, healthcare, food and beverage, education, business services, and other select sectors. It prefers to invest in the United States and Canada. The fund seeks to invest between $10 million to $500 million per transaction in companies with EBITDA between $5 million and $150 million, sales value between $25 million and $500 million, and enterprise value between $5 million and $1000 million. It fund also co-invests for larger deals. The fund seeks control acquisitions by providing multiple levels of the capital structure. The fund focuses on sole, agented, club, or syndicated deals.
How the Company Makes MoneyProspect Capital generates revenue through a combination of interest income, fees, and capital gains from its investments. The primary revenue stream comes from the interest earned on the debt securities it provides to portfolio companies, which typically have higher yields compared to traditional fixed-income investments. Additionally, Prospect Capital may earn fees from structuring deals and managing its investments, which can include transaction fees, monitoring fees, and exit fees when investments are sold. The company also benefits from capital gains when it realizes profits from its equity investments in the companies it finances. Strategic partnerships with other financial institutions and investment firms can enhance its deal flow and provide additional investment opportunities, further contributing to its overall earnings.

Prospect Capital Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 09, 2026
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 13, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call conveyed a broadly positive tone: management highlighted meaningful portfolio improvement and de-risking (large increase in first-lien exposure, sharp reductions in second-lien and subordinated structured notes), strong liquidity and funding diversity, disciplined origination focused on middle market lending, low nonaccruals and strong historical IRRs. The primary negatives are modest originations in the quarter (net repayments of $1M), remaining PIK exposure (albeit substantially reduced), reliance on unsecured funding instruments (though diversified), and the operational/timing aspects of rotating real estate exits. Overall, the positives around credit quality, liquidity and strategic rotation materially outweigh the limited near-term headwinds.
Q2-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Net Investment Income and NAV
Net investment income for the December quarter was $91 million, or $0.19 per common share. Net asset value (NAV) was approximately $3.0 billion, or $6.21 per common share as of December 31, 2025.
Shareholder Distributions Maintained
Announced monthly common shareholder distributions of $0.045 per share for February, March and April; preferred shareholder cash distributions continue at contract rates. Cumulative distributions since IPO through April 2026 total $4.7 billion, or $21.93 per share.
Shift into Higher-Quality First-Lien Loans
First-lien senior secured middle market loan mix increased 728 basis points to 71.4% since June 2024, reflecting deliberate rotation into higher priority secured assets.
Reduction of Lower-Priority and Equity-Linked Exposures
Second-lien mix decreased 371 basis points to 12.7% since June 2024; subordinated structured notes mix reduced by 818 basis points to near 0 (0.2% at cost) since June 2024; targeted exits of equity-linked assets and sale of 5 additional real estate properties in the fiscal year.
Middle Market Lending Concentration and Performance
Middle market lending represented 85% of investments at cost (an increase of 878 basis points from June 2024) and comprised 100% of originations in the December quarter. Historical exited investment-level gross IRR in middle market lending ~14.5% overall and ~17.2% for core targets (<$50M EBITDA).
Strong Historical Performance and Low Realized Losses
Long-term track record: ~22 years with exited investments earning a 12% unlevered gross cash IRR across ~450 investments; middle market lending exited investments annualized realized loss rate ~0.2% (0.1% in core targeted segment).
Portfolio Quality and Credit Metrics
Portfolio at cost consisted of 84% senior and secured debt; EBITDA-to-interest coverage around 210% overall and ~230% for core targeted middle market lending. Nonaccruals were low at approximately 0.7% of total assets (fair market value) as of December 31, 2025.
Reduced Payment-in-Kind (PIK) and Recurring Interest Income
Payment-in-kind interest income declined 46% versus prior 12 months and represented 8.6% of total investment income for the December quarter. Interest income comprised 92% of total investment income over the 12 months ending December 2025, emphasizing recurring cash yield.
Liquidity, Funding Diversity and Balance Sheet Strength
Combined balance sheet cash and undrawn revolver commitments of $1.6 billion; $4.2 billion of assets unencumbered (~64% of portfolio); $2.12 billion of commitments from 48 banks; revolver pricing at SOFR + 2.05% (drawn) and weighted average cost of unsecured debt 4.68% at Dec 31, 2025. Issued ~$168 million of senior unsecured 5.5% notes due 2030 and have laddered liabilities extending through 2052.
Real Estate Strategy Outcomes (NPRC)
NPRC real estate portfolio represented 14% of investments at cost; NPRC investments included a $270 million unrealized gain as of December 2025. Since inception, 56 property exits earned an unlevered gross cash IRR of 24% and cash-on-cash multiple of 2.4x; 4 property exits in the current fiscal year generated a 21% IRR and 2.4x multiple.
Conservative Sector Positioning (Low Software Exposure)
Software exposure at cost was 2.8% of the portfolio versus a reported ~22% average across BDCs with publicly traded unsecured bonds, highlighting limited exposure to a sector under current market scrutiny.
Modest Net Deployment in Quarter with Capital Preservation
Investment originations in the December quarter totaled $80 million (100% middle market, majority first-lien); repayments and exits were $79 million, resulting in net repayments of $1 million — signaling capital preservation and validation of realizations strategy.
Negative Updates
Modest Quarterly New Origination Volume
Investment originations were relatively small at $80 million in the December quarter and effectively offset by $79 million of repayments and exits, resulting in net repayments of $1 million — indicating limited net deployment in the period.
Ongoing Exposure to Payment-in-Kind (PIK) and Residual PIK Share
Although PIK income declined 46% year-over-year, PIK still accounted for 8.6% of total investment income in the December quarter, representing a remaining element of non-cash income that could reaccelerate under different credit conditions.
Reliance on Unsecured Funding (Illustrative Risk)
Unsecured debt and unsecured perpetual preferred represented a large portion (85.3%) of total debt plus preferred, which — while diversified across instruments and investors — reflects material reliance on unsecured financing rather than fully collateralized funding.
Concentration and Transition Costs from Real Estate Exits
Real estate (NPRC) remains 14% of investments at cost and while exits have produced strong IRRs and gains, ongoing disposition activity and redeployment may create timing or execution risk during the transition into more first-lien loans.
Industry-Wide Nontraded BDC Headwinds Could Influence Investor Demand
Market headlines and distribution reductions in larger nontraded BDCs and rotation in investor preference (toward fixed-rate instruments) could influence demand in convertible preferred and other products; management indicated limited direct impact but noted macro investor behavior shifts.
Small but Nonzero Nonaccruals
Nonaccrual investments stood at approximately 0.7% of total assets (fair market value) as of December 31, 2025 — low but a reminder of residual credit stress in the portfolio.
Company Guidance
On the call management reiterated its strategic guidance to pivot further into first‑lien senior secured middle‑market lending and preserve capital while returning cash to shareholders: monthly common distributions of $0.045 for Feb–Apr were announced (total distributions since IPO $4.7B or $21.93/share), net investment income for the December quarter was $91M ($0.19/share) with NAV ≈ $3.0B ($6.21/share), net debt/total assets 28.2%, unsecured debt + unsecured perpetual preferred = 85.3% of total debt + preferred, weighted average cost of unsecured debt 4.68% and a $168M institutional 5.5% note issued (due 12/31/2030); balance sheet and liquidity included combined cash + undrawn revolver $1.6B, $4.2B unencumbered assets (≈64% of portfolio), $2.12B in bank commitments from 48 banks, revolver drawn pricing SOFR+2.05% and revolver maturity/revolve dates to June 2029/June 2028, unfunded commitments $34M ($23M at company discretion ≈0.5%/0.3% of assets); portfolio metrics highlighted first‑lien mix up 728 bps to 71.4% since June 2024 while second‑lien fell 371 bps to 12.7% and subordinated structured notes fell 818 bps to near 0, middle‑market lending = 85% of investments at cost (up 878 bps since June 2024) with quarter originations $80M (100% middle market, majority first‑lien), $79M repayments/exits (net repayments $1M), NPRC real estate = 14% at cost with 54 properties remaining, NPRC income yield 5.4% (Dec quarter) and $270M unrealized gain, interest income = 92% of investment income (12 months ended Dec 2025), PIK interest down 46% YoY and PIK = 8.6% of investment income for the quarter, nonaccruals ≈0.7% of assets, and long‑term performance/history including ~ $13.1B invested in ~350 exited investments with a 12% unlevered gross cash IRR, middle‑market exited IRR ≈14.5% (on ~$11.2B invested) and core < $50M EBITDA exited IRR ≈17.2% (on ~$6.3B invested) with EBITDA/interest coverage ~210% (230% for core).

Prospect Capital Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Fundamentals are mixed. The income statement is the main drag due to highly unstable profitability (repeated swings between profits and losses) and a steep TTM revenue decline, while the balance sheet appears moderately levered with a sizable equity base but inconsistent/negative ROE recently. Cash flow is a relative positive with recent operating and free cash flow staying positive (including TTM growth), though it has been volatile historically.
Income Statement
22
Negative
Profitability and growth have been highly unstable. After strong profitability in FY2021–FY2022, results flipped to losses in FY2023, recovered to meaningful profits in FY2024, and then reverted to sizable losses again in FY2025 (annual) and TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). Revenue is also extremely volatile, including a sharp contraction in TTM, which reduces confidence in earnings quality and forward visibility. The key strength is the ability to generate strong profits in certain periods, but the repeated swing back to losses is the dominant concern.
Balance Sheet
60
Neutral
Leverage looks moderate in the annual periods, with debt-to-equity generally in a mid-range band and a sizeable equity base relative to assets. However, returns on equity have been inconsistent and are negative in the most recent periods (annual FY2025 and TTM), signaling weaker value creation despite the capital base. A notable positive is that TTM shows no debt reported, but the sharp mismatch versus prior years introduces some interpretability risk.
Cash Flow
67
Positive
Cash generation is a relative bright spot recently: operating cash flow and free cash flow are positive in FY2023–FY2025 (annual) and TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), with strong growth shown in TTM. Cash flow has also covered net losses/profits in the provided data (free cash flow tracks net income closely), supporting liquidity. The main weakness is a history of volatility, highlighted by very large negative operating/free cash flow in FY2022, which underscores that cash performance can swing meaningfully year to year.
BreakdownTTMJun 2025Jun 2024Jun 2023Jun 2022Jun 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue-86.63M-276.83M467.36M87.30M739.88M1.15B
Gross Profit-226.81M-406.94M320.91M-60.90M622.47M1.02B
EBITDA-204.25M-469.92M262.83M-101.64M582.58M963.81M
Net Income-234.15M-469.92M262.83M-101.64M582.58M963.81M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets6.53B6.80B7.86B7.86B7.66B6.30B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments38.06M46.51M81.90M90.57M31.17M63.61M
Total Debt1.85B2.09B2.43B2.58B2.74B2.23B
Total Liabilities1.95B3.82B4.15B4.13B3.54B2.36B
Stockholders Equity4.58B4.62B5.30B5.15B4.12B3.95B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow250.23M178.92M282.10M284.66M-795.34M31.02M
Operating Cash Flow250.23M178.92M282.10M284.66M-795.34M31.02M
Investing Cash Flow190.85M344.25M-2.12M-505.51M-1.11B-154.81M
Financing Cash Flow-457.38M-558.25M-289.76M281.13M767.09M-11.97M

Prospect Capital Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price2.66
Price Trends
50DMA
2.69
Positive
100DMA
2.63
Positive
200DMA
2.72
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.07
Negative
RSI
50.84
Neutral
STOCH
61.49
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For PSEC, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 2.66 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 2.82, below the 50-day MA of 2.69, and below the 200-day MA of 2.72, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.07 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 50.84 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 61.49 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for PSEC.

Prospect Capital Risk Analysis

Prospect Capital disclosed 4 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Prospect Capital reported the most risks in the "Tech & Innovation" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 1 New Risks

Prospect Capital Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
77
Outperform
$5.38B9.9519.07%7.17%11.60%9.38%
68
Neutral
$18.00B11.429.92%3.81%9.73%1.22%
67
Neutral
$854.13M12.695.43%14.17%36.15%-38.59%
62
Neutral
$13.94B10.449.39%9.64%10.34%-24.16%
59
Neutral
$336.27M13.145.38%16.61%-3.09%200.66%
54
Neutral
-3.56-4.85%22.04%-49.05%-231.10%
50
Neutral
$406.39M-44.24-1.15%21.13%-91.81%78.46%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
PSEC
Prospect Capital
2.82
-0.84
-23.01%
MAIN
Main Street Capital
57.94
1.56
2.77%
NMFC
New Mountain Finance
8.15
-2.37
-22.53%
PNNT
Pennantpark Investment
4.98
-1.17
-19.09%
ARCC
Ares Capital
19.15
-2.08
-9.80%
TCPC
BlackRock TCP Capital
4.61
-3.38
-42.30%

Prospect Capital Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and FinancingRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Prospect Capital Expands Preferred Stock Offering and Capacity
Positive
Feb 11, 2026

On February 10, 2026, Prospect Capital Corporation amended its dealer manager agreement with Preferred Capital Securities, LLC to expand its preferred stock offering, increasing the aggregate liquidation preference capacity from $2.25 billion to approximately $2.65 billion and permitting up to 105,858,302 shares across all preferred series. As part of the change, the company discontinued several earlier preferred series but continues to offer its 7.50% Series A5 and 7.50% Series M5 preferred stock under an existing SEC shelf registration, signaling an effort to optimize its capital-raising mix while refining the structure of its preferred equity program for investors.

The most recent analyst rating on (PSEC) stock is a Hold with a $2.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Prospect Capital stock, see the PSEC Stock Forecast page.

DividendsFinancial Disclosures
Prospect Capital Reports Quarterly Results, Declares 2026 Distributions
Positive
Feb 9, 2026

On February 9, 2026, Prospect Capital reported financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, posting net investment income of $90.9 million, or $0.19 per common share, while recording a small net loss of $6.6 million as net asset value per share declined to $6.21 from $6.45. The company highlighted stable leverage and strong interest coverage, alongside a long-term middle-market lending track record with exited investments delivering gross IRRs of about 14.5% overall and 17.2% in core smaller-company lending, with minimal realized loss rates.

The board also declared monthly cash distributions to common shareholders of $0.045 per share for February, March, and April 2026, extending a record that has seen approximately $4.7 billion, or $21.93 per share, paid or declared since inception. In addition, Prospect announced monthly and quarterly dividends through mid-2026 across its various preferred stock series, reinforcing its income-focused capital return strategy for both common and preferred investors.

The most recent analyst rating on (PSEC) stock is a Hold with a $3.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Prospect Capital stock, see the PSEC Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Prospect Capital Shareholders Reelect Class III Directors
Neutral
Jan 15, 2026

On January 15, 2026, Prospect Capital Corporation held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders virtually, with common and preferred shareholders voting on the election of Class III directors based on the capital structure in place as of September 17, 2025, which included 465,087,009 common shares and numerous series of preferred stock. At the meeting, stockholders elected John F. Barry III and Eugene S. Stark as Class III directors to serve until the 2028 annual meeting or until successors are chosen, reinforcing continuity in the company’s board leadership and governance framework for the coming years.

The most recent analyst rating on (PSEC) stock is a Hold with a $3.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Prospect Capital stock, see the PSEC Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 12, 2026