Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc. Announces December 31, 2025 Financial Results and Declares First Quarter 2026 Dividend of $0.42 per Share
MWN-AI** Summary
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc. (NYSE: BCSF) recently reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. The company announced solid performance driven by strong net investment income (NII), which covered its dividend payments. CEO Michael Ewald highlighted the robust credit fundamentals of BCSF's diverse portfolio, emphasizing their stable credit metrics and low levels of non-accrual loans.
For Q4 2025, BCSF's net investment income per share was $0.46, with an annualized NII yield of 10.6%, while net income per share stood at $0.43. The company's net asset value (NAV) per share slightly increased to $17.23, despite special distributions made during the quarter. The total fair value of investments was reported at $2.51 billion, with net income influenced by stable funding activities.
BCSF's diversified investment strategy is evident as it allocated $167.9 million in new and existing portfolio companies across various sectors. In addition to regular dividends, a special dividend of $0.15 per share was declared, reflecting the company’s commitment to returning capital to shareholders. The firm’s Board also approved a first-quarter 2026 dividend of $0.42 per share, payable to stockholders in March.
Furthermore, the company closed an offering of $350 million in unsecured notes, with proceeds largely utilized for debt repayment. As of year-end 2025, BCSF maintained a net debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24x, evidencing a strong balance sheet. The company is well-positioned for future growth, supported by its disciplined investment approach. The earnings call to discuss these results is scheduled for February 27, 2026.
MWN-AI** Analysis
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc. (BCSF) recently announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and the entire fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. The company reported a net investment income (NII) per share of $0.46 and a dividend of $0.42 per share for Q1 2026. Strong credit fundamentals and disciplined investment strategies have positioned BCSF positively amidst market fluctuations.
Investors should take note of several key highlights from the earnings report. The company demonstrated resilience, as its net income per share stood at $0.43, with net asset value (NAV) per share at $17.23, slightly declining from prior quarters but still showcasing overall stability. The low rate of non-accruals, only 1.5% of the portfolio, reflects effective credit risk management.
Despite the slight decrease in net investment activity and total assets, BCSF’s commitment to focusing on the middle market remains a strength. With a weighted average yield on investments hovering around 10.8%, the company's portfolio generates consistent income, which is crucial for maintaining dividends.
Investors should be aware of BCSF's future prospect, particularly the potential for rising interest rates, as 92.2% of its debt investments are in floating-rate securities. This positioning could enhance income when interest rates rise.
The special dividends declared, notably the $0.15 per share, signify management's confidence in cash flow health. However, the slight decrease in total assets and net debt-to-equity ratios indicates careful monitoring of leverage is essential.
Overall, BCSF appears to be well-positioned for the foreseeable future, especially in a rising rate environment, making it a potentially attractive option for income-focused investors. Maintaining a careful watch on the company’s financial health and changing market conditions will be critical for stakeholders.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc. (NYSE: BCSF, the “Company”, “our” or “we”) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, and that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has declared a dividend of $0.42 per share for the first quarter of 2026.
“BCSF delivered strong fourth quarter and full year 2025 results driven by attractive levels of net investment income that continued to cover our dividend,” said Michael Ewald, Chief Executive Officer of BCSF. “Credit fundamentals remained strong across our highly diversified portfolio with stable credit metrics and low non-accruals. We believe the Company is well-positioned to navigate the current market environment given our longstanding, disciplined investment approach in the core middle market.”
QUARTERLY HIGHLIGHTS
- Net investment income (NII) per share was $0.46, equating to an annualized NII yield on book value of 10.6% (1) ;
- Net income per share was $0.43, equating to an annualized return on book value of 9.9% (1) ;
- Net asset value per share as of December 31, 2025 was $17.23, an increase of 0.1% compared to September 30, 2025, excluding the impact of the special distributions totaling $0.18 per share during the fourth quarter;
- Gross and net investment fundings were $167.9 million and $(25.3) million, respectively; ending net debt-to-equity was 1.24x, as compared to 1.23x as of September 30, 2025 (2) ;
- Investments on non-accrual were relatively unchanged quarter-over-quarter and represented 1.5% and 0.8% of the total investment portfolio at amortized cost and fair value, respectively, as of December 31, 2025;
- On December 22, 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a special dividend of $0.15 per share to stockholders of record as of December 31, 2025. This special dividend was in addition to the Company’s previously declared special dividend of $0.03 per share for the fourth quarter; (3)
- Subsequent to quarter-end, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.42 per share for the first quarter of 2026 payable to stockholders of record as of March 16, 2026 (4) ; and
- On January 29, 2026, the Company closed an offering of $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.950% unsecured notes due 2031. The net proceeds of the offering were primarily used to repay outstanding secured indebtedness under its financing arrangements and for general corporate purposes.
SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | ||||
Net investment income per share | $ | 0.46 | $ | 0.45 | ||
Net investment income | $ | 29.7 | $ | 29.2 | ||
Earnings per share | $ | 0.43 | $ | 0.29 | ||
Regular dividends per share declared and payable | $ | 0.42 | $ | 0.42 | ||
Special dividends per share declared and payable | $ | 0.18 | $ | 0.03 | ||
($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) | As of
| As of
| ||||
Total fair value of investments | $ | 2,508.4 | $ | 2,534.1 | ||
Total assets | $ | 2,662.6 | $ | 2,716.0 | ||
Total net assets | $ | 1,117.4 | $ | 1,128.5 | ||
Net asset value per share | $ | 17.23 | $ | 17.40 |
PORTFOLIO AND INVESTMENT ACTIVITY
For the three months ended December 31, 2025, the Company invested $167.9 million in 93 portfolio companies, including $68.3 million in 11 new companies and $99.6 million in 82 existing companies. The Company had $193.2 million of principal repayments and sales in the quarter, resulting in net investment fundings of $(25.3) million.
Investment Activity for the Quarter Ended December 31, 2025:
($ in millions) | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | ||||
Investment Fundings | $ | 167.9 | $ | 340.1 | ||
Sales and Repayments | $ | 193.2 | $ | 296.1 | ||
Net Investment Activity | $ | (25.3 | ) | $ | 44.0 |
As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s investment portfolio had a fair value of $2,508.4 million, comprised of investments in 203 portfolio companies operating across 30 different industries.
Investment Portfolio at Fair Value as of December 31, 2025:
Investment Type | $ in Millions | % of Total | ||||
First Lien Senior Secured Loan | $ | 1,598.7 | 63.8 | % | ||
Second Lien Senior Secured Loan | 30.0 | 1.2 | ||||
Subordinated Debt | 95.7 | 3.8 | ||||
Preferred Equity | 157.2 | 6.3 | ||||
Equity Interest | 226.7 | 9.0 | ||||
Warrants | 1.0 | 0.0 | ||||
Investment Vehicles | 399.1 | 15.9 | ||||
Subordinated Note in ISLP | 190.7 | 7.6 | ||||
Equity Interest in ISLP | 43.6 | 1.9 | ||||
Subordinated Note in SLP | 157.9 | 6.3 | ||||
Preferred and Equity Interest in SLP | 6.9 | 0.1 | ||||
Total | $ | 2,508.4 | 100.0 | % |
As of December 31, 2025, the weighted average yield on the investment portfolio at amortized cost and fair value were 10.8% and 10.9%, respectively, as compared to 11.1% and 11.2%, respectively, as of September 30, 2025 (5)(6) . 92.2% of the Company’s debt investments at fair value were in floating rate securities.
As of December 31, 2025, six portfolio companies were on non-accrual status, representing 1.5% and 0.8% of the total investment portfolio at amortized cost and fair value, respectively.
As of December 31, 2025, ISLP’s investment portfolio had an aggregate fair value of $733.1 million, comprised of investments in 40 portfolio companies operating across 17 different industries. The investment portfolio on a fair value basis was comprised of 94.3% first lien senior secured loans, 0.7% second lien senior secured loans and 5.0% equity interests. 100% of ISLP’s debt investments at fair value were in floating rate securities.
As of December 31, 2025, SLP’s investment portfolio had an aggregate fair value of $1,536.3 million, comprised of investments in 99 portfolio companies operating across 26 different industries. The investment portfolio on a fair value basis was comprised of 99.7% first lien senior secured loans and 0.3% second lien senior secured loans. 100.0% of SLP’s debt investments at fair value were in floating rate securities.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
For the three months ended December 31, 2025 and September 30, 2025, total investment income was $68.2 million and $67.2 million, respectively.
Total expenses (before taxes) for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and September 30, 2025 were $37.7 million and $37.2 million, respectively.
Net investment income for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and September 30, 2025 was $29.7 million or $0.46 per share and $29.2 million or $0.45 per share, respectively.
During the three months ended December 31, 2025, the Company had net realized and unrealized losses of $1.9 million.
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations for the three months ended December 31, 2025 was $27.8 million, or $0.43 per share.
CAPITAL AND LIQUIDITY
As of December 31, 2025, the Company had total principal debt outstanding of $1,473.0 million, including $251.0 million outstanding in the Company’s Sumitomo Credit Facility, $272.0 million outstanding of the debt issued through BCC Middle Market CLO 2019-1 LLC, $300.0 million outstanding in the Company’s senior unsecured notes due March 2026, $300.0 million outstanding in the Company’s senior unsecured notes due October 2026, and $350.0 million outstanding in the Company's senior unsecured notes due March 2030.
For the three months ended December 31, 2025, the weighted average interest rate on debt outstanding was 4.6%, as compared to 4.8% for the three months ended September 30, 2025.
As of December 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents (including foreign cash) of $26.2 million, restricted cash and cash equivalents of $32.7 million, $26.7 million of unsettled trades, net of receivables and payables of investments, and $604.0 million of capacity under its Sumitomo Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had $464.8 million of undrawn investment commitments.
As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s debt-to-equity and net debt-to-equity ratios were 1.32x and 1.24x, respectively, as compared to 1.33x and 1.23x, respectively, as of September 30, 2025 (3) .
Endnotes
(1) | Net investment income yields and net income returns are calculated on average net assets, or book value, for the respective periods shown. | ||
(2) | Net debt-to-equity represents principal debt outstanding less cash and cash equivalents and unsettled trades, net of receivables and payables of investments. | ||
(3) | The fourth quarter $0.15 per share special dividend was paid on January 26, 2026 to stockholders of record as of December 31, 2025. The fourth quarter $0.03 per share special dividend that was previously announced was paid on December 30, 2025 to stockholders of record as of December 16, 2025. | ||
(4) | The first quarter dividend is payable on March 30, 2026 to stockholders of record as of March 16, 2026. | ||
(5) | The weighted average yield is computed as (a) the annual stated interest rate or yield earned on the relevant accruing debt and other income producing securities plus amortization of fees and discounts on the performing debt and other income producing investments, divided by (b) the total relevant investments at amortized cost or fair value. The weighted average yield does not represent the total return to our stockholders. | ||
(6) | For non-stated rate income producing investments, computed based on (a) the dividend or interest income earned for the respective trailing twelve months ended on the measurement date, divided by (b) the ending amortized cost or fair value, as applicable. In instances where historical dividend or interest income data is not available or not representative for the trailing twelve months ended, the dividend or interest income is annualized. |
CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION
A conference call to discuss the Company’s financial results will be held live at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on February 27, 2026. Please visit BCSF’s webcast link located on the Events & Presentations page of the Investor Resources section of BCSF’s website at http://www.baincapitalspecialtyfinance.com for a slide presentation that complements the Earnings Conference Call.
Participants are also invited to access the conference call by dialing one of the following numbers:
- Domestic: 1-800-343-4136
- International: 1-203-518-9843
- Conference ID: BAIN
All participants will need to reference “Bain Capital Specialty Finance - Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2025 Earnings Conference Call” once connected with the operator. All participants are asked to dial in 10-15 minutes prior to the call.
Replay Information:
An archived replay will be available approximately three hours after the conference call concludes through March 13, 2026 via a webcast link located on the Investor Resources section of BCSF’s website, and via the dial-in numbers listed below:
- Domestic: 1-844-512-2921
- International: 1-412-317-6671
- Conference ID: 11161100
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
As of | As of | |||||||||
December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||||||
Assets | ||||||||||
Investments at fair value: | ||||||||||
Non-controlled/non-affiliate investments (amortized cost of $1,891,513 and $1,784,019, respectively) | $ | 1,905,297 | $ | 1,773,742 | ||||||
Non-controlled/affiliate investments (amortized cost of $7,504 and $77,269, respectively) | 18,674 | 75,733 | ||||||||
Controlled affiliate investments (amortized cost of $603,650 and $585,702, respectively) | 584,470 | 581,714 | ||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | 23,092 | 51,562 | ||||||||
Foreign cash (cost of $2,477 and $2,640, respectively) | 3,151 | 1,963 | ||||||||
Restricted cash and cash equivalents | 32,667 | 45,541 | ||||||||
Collateral on derivatives | 10,993 | 9,755 | ||||||||
Deferred financing costs | 3,543 | 4,591 | ||||||||
Interest receivable on investments | 38,023 | 39,164 | ||||||||
Interest rate swap | 7,976 | — | ||||||||
Receivable for sales and paydowns of investments | 28,856 | 37,760 | ||||||||
Prepaid insurance | 489 | 197 | ||||||||
Unrealized appreciation on forward currency exchange contracts | — | 4,690 | ||||||||
Dividend receivable | 5,354 | 5,745 | ||||||||
Total Assets | $ | 2,662,585 | $ | 2,632,157 | ||||||
Liabilities | ||||||||||
Debt (net of unamortized debt issuance costs of $10,110 and $4,929, respectively) | $ | 1,470,796 | $ | 1,390,270 | ||||||
Interest payable | 12,376 | 13,860 | ||||||||
Payable for investments purchased | 2,110 | 29,490 | ||||||||
Collateral payable on derivatives | 12,907 | — | ||||||||
Unrealized depreciation on forward currency exchange contracts | 9,061 | 1,185 | ||||||||
Base management fee payable | 9,408 | 9,160 | ||||||||
Incentive fee payable | 5,877 | 4,696 | ||||||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 12,910 | 14,771 | ||||||||
Distributions payable | 9,730 | 29,053 | ||||||||
Total Liabilities | 1,545,175 | 1,492,485 | ||||||||
Commitments and Contingencies (See Note 11) | ||||||||||
Net Assets | ||||||||||
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share, 100,000,000,000 and 100,000,000,000 shares authorized, 64,868,507 and 64,562,265 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | 65 | 65 | ||||||||
Paid in capital in excess of par value | 1,161,110 | 1,159,493 | ||||||||
Total distributable loss | (43,765 | ) | (19,886 | ) | ||||||
Total Net Assets | 1,117,410 | 1,139,672 | ||||||||
Total Liabilities and Total Net Assets | $ | 2,662,585 | $ | 2,632,157 | ||||||
Net asset value per share | $ | 17.23 | $ | 17.65 |
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||
2025 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||
Income | ||||||||||||||
Investment income from non-controlled/non-affiliate investments: | ||||||||||||||
Interest from investments | $ | 172,277 | $ | 179,956 | $ | 184,921 | ||||||||
Dividend income | 6,093 | 1,958 | 62 | |||||||||||
PIK income | 29,234 | 22,680 | 20,536 | |||||||||||
Other income | 9,760 | 18,597 | 10,561 | |||||||||||
Total investment income from non-controlled/non-affiliate investments | 217,364 | 223,191 | 216,080 | |||||||||||
Investment income from non-controlled/affiliate investments: | ||||||||||||||
Interest from investments | 135 | 3,140 | 9,890 | |||||||||||
Dividend income | — | 920 | 4,815 | |||||||||||
PIK income | 30 | 461 | 2,308 | |||||||||||
Other income | 118 | — | — | |||||||||||
Total investment income from non-controlled/affiliate investments | 283 | 4,521 | 17,013 | |||||||||||
Investment income from controlled affiliate investments: | ||||||||||||||
Interest from investments | 39,420 | 39,145 | 33,739 | |||||||||||
Dividend income | 16,163 | 25,796 | 30,957 | |||||||||||
PIK income | 10 | — | — | |||||||||||
Total investment income from controlled affiliate investments | 55,593 | 64,941 | 64,696 | |||||||||||
Total investment income | 273,240 | 292,653 | 297,789 | |||||||||||
Expenses | ||||||||||||||
Interest and debt financing expenses | 80,585 | 74,688 | 80,008 | |||||||||||
Base management fee | 37,163 | 35,644 | 36,095 | |||||||||||
Incentive fee | 18,144 | 28,872 | 25,456 | |||||||||||
Professional fees | 2,855 | 3,494 | 2,561 | |||||||||||
Directors fees | 720 | 695 | 716 | |||||||||||
Other general and administrative expenses | 8,424 | 10,108 | 7,981 | |||||||||||
Total expenses, net of fee waivers | 147,891 | 153,501 | 152,817 | |||||||||||
Net investment income before taxes | 125,349 | 139,152 | 144,972 | |||||||||||
Income tax expense, including excise tax | 3,753 | 4,475 | 3,357 | |||||||||||
Net investment income | 121,596 | 134,677 | 141,615 | |||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) | ||||||||||||||
Net realized loss on non-controlled/non-affiliate investments | (13,469 | ) | (18,174 | ) | (62,903 | ) | ||||||||
Net realized gain (loss) on non-controlled/affiliate investments | (14,759 | ) | 7,727 | 19,006 | ||||||||||
Net realized gain (loss) on foreign currency transactions | 761 | (320 | ) | (5,134 | ) | |||||||||
Net realized gain (loss) on forward currency exchange contracts | (5,817 | ) | 2,304 | (407 | ) | |||||||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation on foreign currency translation | 1,435 | (251 | ) | 4,050 | ||||||||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation on forward currency exchange contracts | (12,566 | ) | 5,765 | (2,322 | ) | |||||||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation on non-controlled/non-affiliate investments | 24,061 | 11,424 | 49,524 | |||||||||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation on non-controlled/affiliate investments | 12,706 | (16,857 | ) | (24,271 | ) | |||||||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation on controlled affiliate investments | (15,192 | ) | (6,877 | ) | 4,217 | |||||||||
Total net loss | (22,840 | ) | (15,259 | ) | (18,240 | ) | ||||||||
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations | $ | 98,756 | $ | 119,418 | $ | 123,375 | ||||||||
Basic and diluted net investment income per share of common stock | $ | 1.88 | $ | 2.09 | $ | 2.19 | ||||||||
Basic and diluted increase in net assets resulting from operations per share of common stock | $ | 1.53 | $ | 1.85 | $ | 1.91 | ||||||||
Basic and diluted weighted average common stock outstanding | 64,821,087 | 64,562,265 | 64,562,265 |
See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
About Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc.
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc. is an externally managed specialty finance company focused on lending to middle market companies. BCSF is managed by BCSF Advisors, LP, an SEC-registered investment adviser and a subsidiary of Bain Capital Credit, LP. Since commencing investment operations on October 13, 2016, and through December 31, 2025, BCSF has invested approximately $9,809.3 million in aggregate principal amount of debt and equity investments prior to any subsequent exits or repayments. BCSF’s investment objective is to generate current income and, to a lesser extent, capital appreciation through direct originations of secured debt, including first lien, first lien/last out, unitranche and second lien debt, investments in strategic joint ventures, equity investments and, to a lesser extent, corporate bonds. BCSF has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Forward-Looking Statements
This letter may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this letter may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this letter.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260226356621/en/
Investor Contact:
Katherine Schneider
Tel. (212) 803-9613
investors@baincapitalbdc.com
Media Contact:
Scott Lessne
Tel. +1 (212) 300-1800
slessne@apcoworldwide.com
FAQ**
How did Bain Capital Specialty Finance Inc. (BCSF) manage to maintain a stable net asset value per share despite fluctuations in the total fair value of investments over the year ended December 32025?
What specific strategies did Bain Capital Specialty Finance Inc. (BCSF) employ to achieve a net investment income that covered their dividend during the fourth quarter of 2025?
Considering the growth in net investment income per share for Bain Capital Specialty Finance Inc. (BCSF) to $0.46 in Q4 2025, what factors contributed to this increase over the prior quarter?
How is Bain Capital Specialty Finance Inc. (BCSF) positioned to handle potential future market volatility, given its current investment portfolio breakdown and the overall economic landscape?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Bain Capital Specialty Finance Inc. (NYSE: BCSF).
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