Hercules Capital Inc.’s HTGC first-quarter 2025 net investment income of 45 cents per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. The bottom line declined 10% from the year-ago quarter. 
 
Results were adversely affected by weak performance in the interest, dividend and fee income.  However, a slight reduction in net operating expenses by 0.8% was positive. 
 
Net investment income was $77.5 million, down 2.2% year over year.

HTGC's Investment Income Down, Expenses Rise

Total investment income in the first quarter was $119.5 million, down 1.7% from the year-ago quarter. The decline was mainly due to a lower-weight average yield on the debt investment portfolio. Also, the top line lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $121.8 million.  
 
Total gross operating expenses marginally increased to $45.3 million. The rise was due to an increase in interest. 

HTGC Portfolio Value & New Commitments Remain Strong

The fair value of Hercules Capital’s total investment portfolio was $3.92 billion as of March 31, 2025. It realized early loan repayments of $131.8 million. 
 
In the first quarter, the company delivered $1.02 billion in gross new debt and equity commitments and $539.1 million in gross new funding.

Hercules Capital’s Balance Sheet Position Decent

As of March 31, 2025, Hercules Capital’s net asset value was $11.55 per share, down from $11.66 as of Dec. 31, 2024. 
 
As of March 31, 2025, the company had $615.6 million in liquidity, including $51.2 million of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, and $564.5 million in credit facilities and SBA debentures. 
 
At the end of the first quarter, the weighted average cost of debt, comprising interest and fees, remained constant at 4.9% compared with the prior-year quarter.

Our View on HTGC

Hercules Capital’s absence of global diversification limits the company’s growth prospects. Further, efforts to improve originations will likely keep expenses elevated. Nonetheless, rising demand for customized financing and stable debt expense will likely support the company’s total investment income. 
 

Hercules Capital, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Hercules Capital, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Hercules Capital, Inc. Quote

Currently, Hercules Capital carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performance and Earnings Dates of HTGC’s Peers

Ares Capital Corporation’s ARCC first-quarter 2025 core earnings of 50 cents per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 54 cents. The bottom line also reflected a decline of 15.3% from the prior-year quarter. (Find the latest earnings estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.) 
 
ARCC’s results were primarily affected by lower portfolio exits and gross commitments. Yet, an improvement in the total investment income, a fall in expenses and the company’s robust activities offered some support.  
 
Bain Capital Specialty Finance BCSF is scheduled to report first-quarter 2025 results on May 5.  
 
Over the past seven days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for BCFS’s quarterly earnings has remained unchanged at 48 cents. This reflects a 5.9% decline from the prior-year quarter.

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