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1. Company Snapshot

1.a. Company Description

Capital Southwest Corporation is a business development company specializing in credit and private equity and venture capital investments in middle market companies, mezzanine, later stage, mature, late venture, emerging growth, buyouts, recapitalizations and growth capital investments.It does not invest in startups, publicly traded companies, real estate developments, project finance opportunities, oil and gas exploration businesses, troubled companies, turnarounds, and companies in which significant senior management is departing.In lower middle market, the firm typically invests in growth financing, bolt-on acquisitions, new platform acquisitions, refinancing, dividend recapitalizations, sponsor-led buyouts, and management buyouts situations.


The investment structures are Unitranche debt, subordinated debt, senior debt, first and second lien debt, and preferred and common equity.The firm makes equity co-investments alongside debt investments, up to 20% of total check and only makes non-control investments.It prefers to invest in Industrial manufacturing and services, value-added distribution, healthcare products and services, business services, specialty chemicals, food and beverage, tech-enabled services and SaaS models.


The firm seeks to invest in energy services and products, industrial technologies, and specialty chemicals and products.Within energy services and products, the firm seeks to invest in each segment of the industry, including upstream, midstream and downstream, excluding exploration and production with a focus on differentiated products and services, equipment and tool rental, consumable products, and drilling and completion chemicals.Within industrial technologies, it seeks to invest in automation and process controls, handling and packaging equipment, industrial filtration and fluid handling, measurement, monitoring and testing, professional tools, and sensors and instrumentation.


Within and specialty chemicals and products, the firm seeks to invest in businesses that develop and manufacture highly differentiated chemicals and products including adhesives, coatings and sealants, catalysts and absorbents, cosmeceuticals, fine chemicals, flavors and fragrances, performance lubricants, polymers, plastics and composites, chemical dispensing and filtration equipment, professional and industrial trade consumables and tools, engineered solutions for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical installations, specified high performance materials for fire protection and oilfield applications.It may also invest in exceptional opportunities in building products.The firm seeks to invest in the United States.


The firm seeks to make investments ranging from $5 to $25 million in securities.It seeks to make equity investments ranging from $5 million to $50 million and debt investments between $5 million and $20 million and co-invest in transaction size up to $40 million.It prefers to invest in companies with revenues approaching above $10 million, profitable operations, historical growth rate of at least 15 percent per year.


Within the lower middle market, it seeks to invest in with less than $15 million in EBITDA and also opportunistically invests in the upper middle market, generally defined as companies with EBITDA in excess of $50 million.In addition to making direct investments, the firm allocates capital to syndicated first and second lien term loans in the upper middle market.Criteria for Upper Middle Market Syndicated 1st Lien is EBITDA Size more than $30 million, Closing Leverage greater than 4 times, investment hold size between $5 million and $7 million, investment yield greater than 6.5%.


Criteria for Upper Middle Market Syndicated 2nd Lien is EBITDA Size more than $50 million, Closing Leverage greater than 6 times, investment hold size between $5 million and $7 million, investment yield greater than 9%.It prefers to take a majority and minority stake.The firm has the flexibility to hold investments for very long period in its portfolio companies.


It may also invest through warrants.The firm prefers to take Board participation in its portfolio companies.Capital Southwest Corporation was founded on April 19, 1961 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

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1.b. Last Insights on CSWC

Capital Southwest Corporation's recent performance was driven by a strong Q3 fiscal 2025 earnings release, with pre-tax net investment income of $0.64 per share and a solid dividend yield of 11%. The company's portfolio, primarily composed of secure first-lien debt investments, provides a lower-risk profile and stable returns. Additionally, Capital Southwest's ability to deploy new funds and its resilience in a higher-for-longer interest rate environment make it an attractive investment. Recent earnings show net investment income per share of $0.63, with potential for future profit growth. The company's high dividend yield is fully supported by net investment income, and its efficient cost structure makes it a compelling opportunity for income-focused investors.

1.c. Company Highlights

2. Capital Southwest's Q2 FY2026 Earnings: A Strong Performance

Capital Southwest reported a pretax net investment income of $0.61 per share in the second fiscal quarter, with total investment income increasing to $56.9 million from $55.9 million in the prior quarter. The company's operating leverage ended the quarter at 1.6%, and the NAV per share was $16.62. The actual EPS came in at $0.61, slightly above the expectations. The company's revenue growth is estimated to be 12.0% next year, indicating a positive outlook.

Publication Date: Nov -18

📋 Highlights
  • Pretax Net Investment Income:: $34M or $0.61/share, driven by $44.8M in realized gains from equity exits.
  • Dividend Payments:: $0.64/share total ($0.58 regular + $0.06 supplemental), leveraging undistributed taxable income of $1.13/share.
  • Capital Structure Strengthening:: Raised $350M in 5.95% notes (2030 maturity), retiring $221.9M in higher-cost debt without make-whole premiums.
  • Portfolio Growth and Credit Discipline:: $245M in new commitments (32% add-ons), 24% YoY credit portfolio growth to $1.7B, with LTV at 36% and leverage at 3.4x.
  • Credit Quality and Pipeline:: 10% annual EBITDA/revenue growth in existing portfolio, 9% of debt underperforming (non-systemic), and a robust $245M pipeline with 6.7% spreads.

Financial Performance

The company's financial performance was strong, with a pretax net investment income of $34 million or $0.61 per share. The total investment income increased to $56.9 million, driven by a robust deal flow in the lower middle market, with $245 million in total new commitments to 7 new portfolio companies and 10 existing portfolio companies. As Michael Sarner noted, "the company's pipeline looks strong heading into year-end, with a significant uptick in the size of the pipeline and a focus on adding originators to the platform."

Capital Structure and Leverage

The company's regulatory leverage ended the quarter at a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91:1, and the company intends to maintain a regulatory leverage cushion to mitigate capital markets volatility. The company successfully raised $350 million in aggregate principal of 5.95% notes due 2030 and redeemed outstanding notes without requiring a make-whole premium, enhancing the strength of the balance sheet.

Valuation

With a P/E Ratio of 13.14 and a Dividend Yield of 14.32%, the stock appears to be reasonably valued. The ROE of 9.76% and ROIC of 7.35% indicate a decent return on equity and invested capital. The Net Debt / EBITDA ratio of 2.22 suggests a manageable debt burden. These metrics suggest that the company's financial performance and valuation are in line with expectations.

Credit Quality

The company's credit quality remains strong, with 10% annual growth in EBITDA and revenue of its existing portfolio companies over the last 12 months. Michael Sarner stated that the company is not seeing any one particular industry with issues, but the changing environment is impacting potential industries on a go-forward basis. The portfolio's granularity helps mitigate risk, as no single credit can have a material impact.

Outlook

3. NewsRoom

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Comparing Artisan Partners Asset Management (NYSE:APAM) & Capital Southwest (NASDAQ:CSWC)

Dec -04

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Franklin Resources Inc. Trims Stake in Capital Southwest Corporation $CSWC

Dec -01

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The Most Viable 10% Yielding Retirement Portfolio I've Ever Designed

Nov -21

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Capital Southwest Announces Monthly Regular Dividends for the Quarter Ending March 31, 2026 and Quarterly Supplemental Dividend Payable on March 31, 2026

Nov -19

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Don't Bury BDC Dividends Just Yet

Nov -17

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The Best REIT, BDC, And MLP To Retire On

Nov -12

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Capital Southwest: The One BDC I Think Could Avoid A Dividend Cut

Nov -12

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BDC Battle: The 16% Yield Comeback, Or 12% From The Rising Star

Nov -11

4. Business Breakdown

4.a. Revenues by Country

4.b. Revenues by Segment

5. Expected revenues mid-term growth (10.20%)

6. Segments

Investment and Related Activities

Expected Growth: 10.2%

Capital Southwest's Investment and Related Activities segment is poised for growth driven by increasing demand for middle-market financing, a strong pipeline of investment opportunities, and the company's expertise in providing tailored financing solutions.

7. Detailed Products

Investment Capital

Capital Southwest Corporation provides investment capital to middle-market companies, supporting their growth and expansion plans.

Mezzanine Financing

The company offers mezzanine financing solutions to businesses, providing a flexible and patient source of capital for growth and acquisitions.

Unitranche Financing

Capital Southwest provides unitranche financing solutions, offering a single, flexible financing solution for businesses.

Equity Co-Investments

The company participates in equity co-investments alongside private equity sponsors, supporting the growth and development of portfolio companies.

Loan Portfolio Management

Capital Southwest manages a portfolio of loans to middle-market companies, providing a stable source of income and supporting the growth of its borrowers.

8. Capital Southwest Corporation's Porter Forces

Forces Ranking

Threat Of Substitutes

Capital Southwest Corporation operates in a niche market, providing capital to small and medium-sized businesses. While there are some substitutes available, such as traditional banks and other financial institutions, the company's specialized services and expertise in the middle market provide a competitive advantage.

Bargaining Power Of Customers

Capital Southwest Corporation's customers are typically small and medium-sized businesses, which have limited bargaining power. The company's diversified customer base and long-term relationships with customers also reduce the bargaining power of individual customers.

Bargaining Power Of Suppliers

Capital Southwest Corporation's suppliers are primarily financial institutions and investors, which have limited bargaining power. The company's strong financial position and diversified funding sources also reduce the bargaining power of suppliers.

Threat Of New Entrants

The threat of new entrants in the business development company (BDC) industry is low due to the significant barriers to entry, including regulatory hurdles and the need for specialized expertise and resources. Capital Southwest Corporation's established position and strong reputation also make it difficult for new entrants to compete.

Intensity Of Rivalry

The BDC industry is moderately competitive, with several established players competing for market share. However, Capital Southwest Corporation's diversified investment portfolio and strong relationships with customers and partners help to mitigate the intensity of rivalry.

9. SWOT Analysis

10. Capital Structure

10.a. Balance Sheet

10.b. Weighted Average Cost of capital

Value
Debt Weight 50.51%
Debt Cost 5.65%
Equity Weight 49.49%
Equity Cost 10.07%
WACC 7.84%
Leverage 102.06%

11. Quality Control: Capital Southwest Corporation passed 3 out of 9 key points

12.a Historical Valuation

12.b Price/Earnings Ratio

12.c Margin Valuation

12.d Peers Valuation

Peers Group Analysis

Stock-Card
SLR Investment

A-Score: 7.7/10

Value: 6.9

Growth: 6.6

Quality: 7.8

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 5.0

Volatility: 10.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
MidCap Financial

A-Score: 7.1/10

Value: 6.7

Growth: 5.8

Quality: 7.8

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 3.0

Volatility: 9.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Fidus

A-Score: 6.8/10

Value: 3.5

Growth: 3.9

Quality: 7.3

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 6.0

Volatility: 10.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
New Mountain Finance

A-Score: 6.8/10

Value: 7.1

Growth: 4.1

Quality: 7.7

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 2.0

Volatility: 9.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Capital Southwest

A-Score: 6.6/10

Value: 5.8

Growth: 3.2

Quality: 7.7

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 3.0

Volatility: 9.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
WhiteHorse Finance

A-Score: 5.6/10

Value: 5.9

Growth: 3.6

Quality: 5.2

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 0.5

Volatility: 8.3

1-Year Total Return ->

Peers Metrics

12.e Scoring Insights

12.f DCF BETA

Parameters

Short Term Growth

Short term Time

Long-Term Growth

WACC

Target Price

21.88$

Current Price

21.88$

Potential

-0.00%

Expected Cash-Flows