Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp. Announces March 2014 Quarterly Financial Results and Its Fourth Consecutive Dividend Increase


WHITE PLAINS, NY, May 15, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp. (NASDAQ:FSFR) ("FSFR" or "we") announces its financial results for the second fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2014.

Second Fiscal Quarter 2014 Financial Highlights

  • Net investment income for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 increased to $1.8 million or $0.27 per share, as compared to $1.5 million or $0.23 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2013;
  • Net asset value increased to $15.13 per share as of March 31, 2014, as compared to $15.10 per share as of December 31, 2013;
  • We grew our investment portfolio by 32.8% to $179.8 million at fair value as of March 31, 2014, as compared to $135.4 million as of December 31, 2013. We closed $96.4 million of new investments, 100% of which were senior secured floating rate loans, and we exited $47.0 million of investments, realizing a net gain of $0.2 million; and
  • We ended the March 31, 2014 quarter with leverage at 0.80x debt-to-equity, within our target range of 0.8x to 0.9x.

Dividend Declaration

On May 12, 2014, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share for the quarter ending September 30, 2014, reflecting an annualized dividend run rate of $1.20 per share. This dividend represents our fourth consecutive quarterly increase and an 11% increase from the prior quarter.

Portfolio and Investment Activity

Our Board of Directors determined the fair value of our portfolio at March 31, 2014 to be $179.8 million, as compared to $135.4 million at December 31, 2013 and $48.7 million at September 30, 2013. Total assets increased to $192.5 million at March 31, 2014, as compared to $141.0 million at December 31, 2013 and $101.5 million at September 30, 2013.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2014, we closed $96.4 million of investments in 26 new and four existing portfolio companies, and funded $94.8 million across new and existing portfolio companies. We also received $47.0 million in connection with payoffs and open market sales of 15 of our debt investments, all of which were exited at or above par.

At March 31, 2014, our portfolio consisted of investments in 34 companies, and 100% of our portfolio consisted of senior secured debt investments that bore interest at floating rates. The portfolio remained highly diversified, and our average portfolio company debt investment size at fair value was $5.3 million at March 31, 2014, versus $6.1 million at September 30, 2013. The average portfolio company EBITDA was $56.6 million as of March 31, 2014.

"We are proud of FSFR's accomplishments since last year's IPO, including delivering continued growth in net investment income per share and our fourth consecutive dividend increase," stated our President and Chief Investment Officer, Ivelin M. Dimitrov, adding "We are benefiting from Fifth Street's established origination platform, and were fully deployed within our target leverage range across 34 portfolio companies at quarter end. We are also excited about our potential joint venture to co-invest with an entity controlled by the Glick family, which we expect will drive accelerated portfolio growth and earnings accretion once funded."

Our weighted average cash yield on debt investments was 6.74% at March 31, 2014, which increased from 6.62% at December 31, 2013.

Results of Operations

Total investment income for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 was $3.4 million, which consisted of $2.6 million of interest income and $0.8 million of fee income on our portfolio investments.

Expenses for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 were $1.6 million and primarily consisted of the base management fee, incentive fee, interest expense and professional fees. The base management fee was calculated at an annual rate of 1% of the average of our gross assets (excluding cash and cash equivalents) during the quarter.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of March 31, 2014, we had $3.7 million of cash and cash equivalents, $1.6 million of restricted cash, portfolio investments (at fair value) of $179.8 million, $0.9 million of interest and fees receivable, dividend payable of $1.5 million, $80.9 million of borrowings outstanding under our $100.0 million Natixis credit facility and unfunded commitments of $12.4 million.

As of September 30, 2013, we had $52.3 million of cash and cash equivalents, portfolio investments (at fair value) of $48.7 million, $0.4 million of interest and fees receivable and unfunded commitments of $5.8 million.

Fiscal Year 2014 Dividends

Thus far during fiscal year 2014, our Board of Directors has declared the following quarterly dividends:

  • $0.30 per share for the quarter ending September 30, 2014, payable on October 15, 2014 to stockholders of record on September 15, 2014;
  • $0.27 per share for the quarter ending June 30, 2014, payable on July 15, 2014 to stockholders of record on June 30, 2014;
  • $0.23 per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2014, which was paid on April 15, 2014 to stockholders of record on March 31, 2014;
  • $0.20 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2013, which was paid on January 31, 2014 to stockholders of record on December 16, 2013; and
  • $0.01 per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, which was paid on October 31, 2013 to stockholders of record on October 21, 2013.

Dividends are paid primarily from distributable (taxable) income. Our Board of Directors determines dividends based on estimates of distributable (taxable) income, which differ from book income due to temporary and permanent differences in income and expense recognition and changes in unrealized appreciation and depreciation on investments.

Our amended dividend reinvestment plan ("DRIP") provides for reinvestment of dividends, unless a stockholder elects to receive cash. As a result, if our Board of Directors declares a cash dividend, our stockholders whose shares are registered in their name and who have not "opted out" of our DRIP will have their cash dividends automatically reinvested in additional shares of our common stock, rather than receiving cash dividends. We provide up to a 5% discount on newly-issued shares purchased through the DRIP (provided that shares will not be issued at less than net asset value per share). If you are a stockholder and your shares of our common stock are held through a brokerage firm or other financial intermediary and you wish to participate in the DRIP, please contact your broker or other financial intermediary.

Portfolio Asset Quality

We utilize the following investment ranking system for our investment portfolio:

  • Investment Ranking 1 is used for investments that are performing above expectations and/or capital gains are expected.
  • Investment Ranking 2 is used for investments that are performing substantially within our expectations, and whose risks remain materially consistent with the potential risks at the time of the original or restructured investment. All new investments are initially ranked 2.
  • Investment Ranking 3 is used for investments that are performing below our expectations and for which risk has materially increased since the original or restructured investment. The portfolio company may be out of compliance with debt covenants and may require closer monitoring. To the extent that the underlying agreement has a PIK interest provision, investments with a ranking of 3 are generally those on which we are not accruing PIK interest.
  • Investment Ranking 4 is used for investments that are performing substantially below our expectations and for which risk has increased substantially since the original or restructured investment. Investments with a ranking of 4 are those for which some loss of principal is expected and are generally those on which we are not accruing cash interest.

At March 31, 2014 and September 30, 2013, the distribution of our investments on the 1 to 4 investment ranking scale at fair value was as follows:  

  March 31, 2014 September 30, 2013
  Fair Value % of Portfolio Leverage Ratio Fair Value % of Portfolio Leverage Ratio
1
2 $ 179,752,625 100.00% 4.26 $ 48,653,617 100.00% 4.32
3
4
Total $ 179,752,625 100.00% 4.26 $ 48,653,617 100.00% 4.32

Recent Developments

On May 12, 2014, our Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.30 per share, payable on October 15, 2014 to stockholders of record as of September 15, 2014.  

Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp.
 
Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
 
  March 31,
 2014
September 30,
 2013
ASSETS  
Investments at fair value:    
Non-control/Non-affiliate investments (cost March 31, 2014: $180,366,004; cost September 30, 2013: $48,653,617) $ 179,752,625 $ 48,653,617
Total investments at fair value (cost March 31, 2014: $180,366,004; cost September 30, 2013: $48,653,617) 179,752,625 48,653,617
Cash and cash equivalents 3,683,986 52,346,831
Restricted cash 1,642,927
Interest and fees receivable 888,821 394,023
Due from portfolio company 651,300 8,333
Receivables from unsettled transactions 4,023,028
Deferred financing costs 1,740,703
Other assets 77,197 47,240
Total assets $ 192,460,587 $ 101,450,044
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS  
Liabilities:    
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities $ 1,091,096 $ 484,066
Base management fee payable 407,087 61,379
Incentive fee payable 280,597
Due to FSC CT, Inc. 280,372 61,721
Interest payable 494,717
Dividend payable 1,533,357
Payables from unsettled transactions 6,655,042
Credit facility payable 80,873,200
Total liabilities 91,615,468 607,166
Commitments and contingencies    
Net assets:    
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 150,000,000 shares authorized, 6,666,768 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2014 and September 30, 2013 66,668 66,668
Additional paid-in-capital 99,934,852 99,934,852
Net unrealized depreciation on investments (613,379)
Net realized gain on investments 254,813
Accumulated undistributed net investment income 1,202,165 841,358
Total net assets (equivalent to $15.13 per common share at March 31, 2014 and September 30, 2013) 100,845,119 100,842,878
Total liabilities and net assets $ 192,460,587 $ 101,450,044
 
 
Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp.
 
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(unaudited)
 
  Three months ended
March 31, 2014
Six months ended
March 31, 2014
Interest income:    
Non-control/Non-affiliate investments $ 2,567,868 $ 3,870,947
Interest on cash and cash equivalents 197 2,217
Total interest income 2,568,065 3,873,164
Fee income:    
Non-control/Non-affiliate investments 837,855 1,839,099
Total fee income 837,855 1,839,099
Total investment income 3,405,920 5,712,263
Expenses:    
Base management fee 407,087 641,636
Incentive fee 280,597 280,597
Professional fees 204,167 325,699
Board of Directors fees 43,250 97,500
Interest expense 434,960 575,993
Administrator expense 111,364 218,624
General and administrative expenses 133,781 278,029
Total expenses 1,615,206 2,418,078
Net investment income 1,790,714 3,294,185
Unrealized depreciation on investments:    
Non-control/Non-affiliate investments (318,940) (613,379)
Net unrealized depreciation on investments (318,940) (613,379)
Realized gain on investments:    
Non-control/Non-affiliate investments 232,188 254,813
Net realized gain on investments 232,188 254,813
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations $1,703,962 $2,935,619
Net investment income per common share — basic and diluted $ 0.27 $ 0.49
Earnings per common share — basic and diluted $ 0.26 $ 0.44
Weighted average common shares outstanding — basic and diluted 6,666,768 6,666,768
Distributions per common share $ 0.23 $ 0.44

About Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp.

Fifth Street Senior Floating Rate Corp. is a specialty finance company that provides financing solutions in the form of floating rate senior secured loans to small and mid-sized companies, primarily in connection with investments by private equity sponsors. The company's investment objective is to maximize its portfolio's total return by generating current income from its debt investments while seeking to preserve its capital.   The company has elected to be regulated as a business development company and is externally managed by Fifth Street Management LLC. Named both 2013 "Lender Firm of the Year" by The M&A Advisor and "Lender of the Year" by Mergers & Acquisitions, Fifth Street Management LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser and leading alternative asset manager with over $4 billion in assets under management. With a track record of more than 15 years, Fifth Street's nationally recognized platform has the ability to hold loans up to $150 million, commit up to $250 million and structure and syndicate transactions up to $500 million. FSFR's website can be found at fsfr.fifthstreetfinance.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements, including statements with regard to the future performance of the company. Words such as "believes," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "anticipates," and "future" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements, and these factors are identified from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



            

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