Q4 2020 Hercules Capital Inc Earnings Call
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the operator for this conference call will begin shortly until that time your lines will again be placed on hold thank you for your patience.
Again, ladies and gentleman on basis. The operator for this conference call will begin shortly until that time. Your line will again be placed on hold thank you for your patience.
[music].
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by and welcome to the Hercules Capital Q4, 'twenty 'twenty earnings Conference call. At this time all participants are in a lesson.
And only mode. After the speaker's presentation, there will be a question and answers from.
Two basket question during the session you will need to press star one on your telephone keypad.
Advice to todays conference Call's being recorded if you require any further assistance. Please press star zero I would now like to hand, the conference over to your.
Speaker today, Michael Hara. Thank you.
Please go ahead.
Thank you Jerry good afternoon, everyone and welcome to Hercules Conference call for the fourth quarter and full year 2020.
With us on the call today from Hercules are Scott Bluestein, CEO, and Chief investment Officer, and Seth Meyer CFO Hercules fourth quarter and full year 'twenty 'twenty financial results were released just after today's market close and can be accessed from Hercules Investor Relations section on H T. G. She got Com, we have a range for a replay of the call at Hercules webpage.
Or by using the telephone number and pass code provided in todays earnings release.
During this call we may make forward looking statements based on current expectations.
Actual financial results filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission may differ from those contained herein due to timing delays between the day of this release and in the confirmation and final audit results.
In addition, the statements contained in this release that are not purely historical are forward looking statements.
These forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward looking statements, including without limitation, the risks and uncertainties, including the uncertainties surrounding the current market turbulence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other factors we identified.
Identified from time to time in our filings with the SEC.
Although we believe that the assumptions on which these forward looking statements are reasonable any of those assumptions can prove to be inaccurate and as a result, the forward looking statements based on those assumptions also can be incorrect.
You should not place undue reliance on these forward looking statements. These forward looking statements contained in this release are made us on the date hereof.
Hercules assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements or subsequent events.
To obtain copies of related SEC filings. Please visit our web site.
And with that I will turn the call over to Scott.
Thank you Michael and thank you all for joining US today, we hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy.
I am incredibly proud of what our team was able to achieve in 2020.
Despite the challenges associated with the COVID-19, pandemic Hercules capital was able to deliver yet another strong year of solid execution outstanding financial results and solid credit performance.
We were also able to demonstrate to our 100 plus borrowers the importance of having a partner with a strong and stable balance sheet.
And our ability to grow with the companies as they scale.
In 2020, the health and vibrancy of the D. C ecosystem continued strength of our origination platform.
Robust liquidity position and strong balance sheet put us in position to deliver achievements on multiple fronts, including record total investment income of 287 3 million up seven 2%.
Record net investment income of $157 1 million up nine 7%.
Record undistributed earnings spillover of $107 7 million or <unk> 94 per share based on ending shares outstanding.
Record available liquidity of $673 3 million.
Record total assets of $2 6 billion up six 6%.
Over $1 billion of new debt and equity commitments for the third consecutive year.
22, IPO and M&A events, and finally formation of Hercules advisor as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hercules capital.
We continue to manage the business to maximize liquidity ensure balance sheet strength and maintain substantial operational flexibility in the current environment.
Continuing with the theme throughout 2020, I'm going to provide an overview of our performance in Q4, and then discuss key areas of the business that we feel are important.
I will also be providing an update on some of the work that we did in 2020 to further strengthen our platform and position us for future growth.
Let me recap some of the key highlights of our performance for Q4.
We originated more than $151 million of new debt and equity commitments and delivered gross fundings of nearly $130 million.
Our fourth quarter debt and equity fundings were weighted towards existing portfolio company relationships largely driven by continued strong performance and the achievement of milestones across the current portfolio.
During Q4, we chose to stay disciplined and true to our focus on strong underwriting parameters as an abundance of equity capital and loosely structured debt created challenges in terms of prudent new business origination.
Being at scale affords us the opportunity to be aggressive when we believe deal quality warranted.
But also pulled back when warranted.
Our debt and equity commitments in Q4 or to a mix of technology and life Sciences companies, although they were weighted more towards technology companies. After a record Q3 performance from our life Sciences team.
Our investment team has hit the ground running in 2021, and we are very pleased by our performance on originations quarter to date. Despite continued frothiness in the capital markets.
Since the close of Q4 and as of February 18th 2021, Hercules has already closed $294 million of new commitments and we have pending commitments of an additional $248 million in signed non binding term sheets.
Q4 was unusually strong with regards to the <unk>.
Was unusually strong with regards to portfolio company exits and an abundance of liquidity and capital availability across our ecosystem.
This combined with continued very strong performance across our portfolio drove record early pay offs and strong effective yields during the fourth quarter.
While prepayments are always difficult to predict the strong activity that we saw in Q4 validates our model of being a disciplined underwriter of credit in this asset class and being able to identify and partner with some of the leading companies in our core verticals.
The velocity of capital in our ecosystem makes achieving and sustaining scale is difficult, but we have proven the ability to do this over the last 16 plus years.
Early loan repayments were over $282 million, which was up from $191 million in Q3, and above our guidance of $100 million to $150 million.
Nearly 50% of the Q4 prepayments were attributable to M&A exits or strong equity capital market activity.
Given the strength that we're seeing across our portfolio, we expect prepayments to remain elevated near term before reverting back to a more normal cadence in the second half of 2021.
For Q1, we expect prepayments to be between $150 million and $200 million. Although this could change materially as we progress in the quarter.
The increase in early loan repayments during Q4 resulted in higher fee income as compared to Q3 and stronger GAAP effective yields.
In Q4, we generated total investment income of $75 3 million net investment income of $42 2 million or <unk> 37 per share, resulting in 116% coverage of the base cash distribution and a 13, 3% GAAP effective yield.
While the heavy Q4 prepayment activity and resulting portfolio decline will reduce our NII short term, we are confident and remain focused on building the portfolio the right way with an emphasis on quality and positioning the credit book for the long term.
Credit quality on the debt investment portfolio again improved in Q4 with a weighted average internal credit rating of 2.16 as compared to 2.22 in Q3.
Overall, our grade one and two credits increased to 68, 7% in Q4 versus 64, 4% in Q3.
<unk> three credits decreased to 29, 7% in Q3 in Q4 versus 34, 1% in Q3.
Our rated four and five credits made up one 6% of the entire debt portfolio fair value.
In Q4, we had seven debt investments on non accrual with a cumulative investment cost and fair value of approximately 31 million and $11 9 million respectively.
Or one, 3% and 0.5% as a percentage of the company's total investment portfolio at cost and value respectively.
Subsequent to quarter end, we have exited one of our non accrual loans with a full recovery of our principal interest and fees and we have received net cash proceeds from a second non accrual loan that fully covers our Q4 fair value on that position.
As a result of continued strong performance across our portfolio the exceptionally strong equity capital markets and robust exit an IPO activity our Q4 NAV.
Per share increased by nearly 10% to $11 26.
The highest net asset value per share Mark that we have seen since Q4 of 2008.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we spoke about our focus on liquidity and balance sheet strength and maintaining strong credit quality.
In 2020, we were successful in both areas.
We ended Q4 with record liquidity of $673 million.
Which provides us with substantial coverage of our available unfunded commitments of $180 million.
And the ability to fund our ongoing anticipated business activity.
This continues to give us the ability to be aggressive on new deals and take advantage of any potential market dislocation. When we believe that it is prudent to do so.
With net regulatory leverage of 77, 6% and no near term material liability maturities in 2021, our balance sheet is exceptionally strong and well positioned.
In terms of how our portfolio companies are managing through the current environment and their ability to continue to raise capital to fund growth. We are very pleased by what we have seen to date.
When looking at our entire outstanding debt investment portfolio. We currently estimate that nearly 80% of the portfolio. Currently has 12 plus months of liquidity on balance sheet with another 16% with six to 12 months of liquidity currently on balance sheet.
Loans that have three months or less of liquidity make up less than 3% of the outstanding debt portfolio.
Of the loans with 12, plus months of liquidity over 76% or approximately 61% of our entire debt portfolio. Currently has 18 plus months of liquidity on balance sheet.
Capital raising across our portfolio also remained strong.
Since our last earnings call 16 of our debt portfolio companies have raised new capital totaling over $1 8 billion.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. We have now had 49 of our current debt portfolio companies raised a total of nearly $7 billion of new capital.
For the year, we had 14 M&A events and ate companies complete their initial public offerings.
The venture capital ecosystem continued to exhibit strength and finished the year in record territory for the third consecutive year.
For 2020 and venture capital funds raised a record of $73 6 billion compared to $58 7 billion in 2019.
And invested over a record 156 billion compared to $103 3 billion in 2019 in the U S. According to data gathered by pitch book and the National venture Capital Association.
That cash continues to put them in a strong position as the pandemic indoors.
Our focus continues to be on maintaining an appropriate level of liquidity.
Actively managing our credit book and working with our companies and financial partners proactively.
Our investment team has been incredibly busy evaluating an active pipeline that currently exceeds $1 billion of potential investments, but our bar for new deals remains high and we continue to be very selective and prudent with capital deployment.
I would also like to discuss our shareholder distributions.
Our NII per share of 37 in Q4 generated 116% coverage of our quarterly base distribution of $32 per share.
In addition to our eighth consecutive quarterly cash distribution of 32 per share. We are also declaring a supplemental distribution of <unk> <unk> per share.
Our warrant and equity portfolio is designed to provide potential upside returns to our shareholders above and beyond our net investment income as well as mitigate potential debt losses that may occur.
As of Q4 2020, we have generated undistributed earnings spillover of approximately $107 7 million or 94 cents per share subject to final tax filings.
This provides us with additional flexibility with respect to our variable base distribution going forward.
And the ability to continue to invest in our team and platform.
Finally, I would like to briefly touch on some of the progress that we made in 2020 in terms of strengthening and expanding our platform.
We made significant investments throughout 2020, and our team infrastructure and systems, we added talent to all levels of the organization and made a series of investments in our technology and systems that we believe will best position us for future growth.
After extensive dialogue with our shareholders over the last 18 months or so we made the decision to seek SEC no action relief in order to be able to create a registered investment advisor as a wholly owned subsidiary of <unk>.
We received that approval in May of 2020, and subsequently established Hercules adviser.
Having this in place puts us in a position to be able to expand and diversify the platform with the potential of raising and managing new funds down the road.
Because of the unique structure of having the BDC wholly owned a registered investment adviser all new potential future activity under the RIAA.
Would be done for the benefit of our shareholders.
In closing I would like to acknowledge and thank each of our dedicated and talented employees for their contributions to our strong performance in 2020.
This past year was a challenging year for many and despite that our employees maintained their commitment to the company and they are focused on ensuring our continued success.
I would also like to once again, thank our portfolio companies and their financial sponsors are shareholders and stakeholders for their unwavering support of our company.
Our unique business model and asset class proved its resiliency in 2020, and we believe that the innovation economy will continue to demonstrate its strength as we eventually return to a new normal.
Thank you very much everyone I will now turn the call over to Seth.
Thank you Scott and good afternoon, everyone.
With another solid quarter for Hercules, we completed 2020, having successfully raised $77 million of equity $170 million of debt obtained a new spic's license with $175 million of attractive financing for qualified investments.
Upside are in USG led credit facility to $400 million, while improving the terms and pricing.
We ended the year with record liquidity as Scott mentioned and modest leverage positioning ourselves very well to two.
To Opportunistically take advantage of the market in 2021.
Our Aro AE or NII over average equity was 13, 8% for the fourth quarter and our R. O a a or NII over average total assets was six 6% for the fourth quarter.
The year was a testament to the strength of our business ability to access the capital markets on an as needed basis, and grow where and when we saw the right opportunity.
Our teams work collaboratively to manage the business from a remote working environment in a seamless way, providing the sustainability of the platforming.
No matter the challenge.
Today I'll focus on the following areas the income statement performance and highlights N V unrealized and realized activity.
Leverage and liquidity and finally, the outlook with that let's turn our attention to the income statement performance and highlights.
Net investment income was $42 2 million or <unk> 37 per share in Q4, an increase of nearly $3 5 million or <unk> <unk> per share compared to the prior quarter.
Total investment income was $75 3 million, an increase of $7 1 million seven 1% compared to the prior quarter.
The main driver for the increased total and net investment income during Q4 was an increase in coupon interest and fee income driven by higher payoffs.
Our effective and core yields in the fourth quarter were 13, 3% and 11, 8%, respectively compared to 12, 6% and 11, 3% in the third quarter.
The primary driver for the increase in the effective yield was again related to the higher payoffs.
Turning to expenses, our total operating expenses for the quarter increased to $33 2 million compared to $31 6 million in the prior quarter.
Interest expense and fees increased to $17 2 million from $16 6 million in the prior quarter due mainly to additional fees related to the private placement in November 2020, and the acceleration of fee recognition for the partial pay down of the 2018 security.
Asian due to the reinvestment period ending.
SG&A expenses increased to $16 million from $15 million in the prior quarter. The increase was driven by higher legal and other professional fees and excise taxes.
Our weighted average cost of debt was five 2% a small increase compared to the prior quarter due to the 2018 securitization ending the reinvestment period and the related fee acceleration.
Let's now switch the focus to the NAV unrealized and realized activity.
During the quarter, our NAV increased $1 per share to <unk> 11.
<unk> dollars 26 per share this represented an NAV.
Per share increase of nine 7%.
Quarter over quarter, and six 7% increase year to date.
The main drivers for the increase were the net change in unrealized depreciation of $123 7 million, including reversals of prior unrealized depreciation of $16 8 million.
Mainly due to investments disposed of or written off and out earning the dividend in the quarter.
Our $123 7 million of unrealized depreciation was driven by the mark to market of the equity and warrant portfolio as well as the yield adjustments on our debt portfolio.
The key drivers of the unrealized depreciation were approximately a $109 5 million of mark to market appreciation, including the reversal of prior depreciation due to sale <unk> write off in the equity and warrant portfolio.
And $14 2 million of appreciation on the loan portfolio, excluding the reversal of prior depreciation on loans the loan portfolio experienced an $11 5 million yield based appreciation.
Net realized losses in the third quarter were $14 7 million comprised of $6 4 million from two loan positions $6 7 million of net losses from the write off and disposal of equity positions and $1 6 million of net losses from the write off or exploration.
On a certain legacy warrants.
Next I'd like to discuss our leverage.
For leverage and liquidity at the end of the quarter, our GAAP and regulatory leverage was 100, 106 and 93% respectively.
Which decreased compared to the prior quarter due to the increased early repayments in the quarter net.
Netting out cash on the balance sheet, our GAAP and regulatory leverage was 85, 3% and 77, 6%, respectively, putting us in a very strong leverage position heading into 2021.
In November 2020, we announced the successful issuance of $50 million of long five year dated notes in a private placement with a fixed coupon of four 5%, which is well below our current cost of debt.
At the same time, we announced the commitment to draw on additional $50 million for a total of $100 million in March 2021, with a fixed coupon of 455% on the line later tranche.
This offering done with institutional investors further strength strengthens our balance sheet and liquidity position and demonstrates our ability to attractively tap the capital markets. When we feel it prudent to do so.
We ended the quarter with record liquidity of more than 600 $770 million.
Our liquidity continues to be enhanced by our normal course monthly principal and interest collections as well as our early payoff as a reminder, our early payoffs and normal amortization provide us significant monthly inflows that we can use to delever when and as needed.
Finally, let's address the expectations and the outlook points with over $280 million of early repayments in Q4 of 2020.
And a resulting $184 million decline in the debt investment portfolio on a cost basis.
NII in Q1 will be down as we look to prudently build the portfolio backup base.
Based on the strong Q1 quarter to date activity and our existing pipeline, we expect the NII to decline.
Attributable to Q4, the Q4 portfolio declined to be short term in nature.
Our core yield guidance of 11% to 12% continues to apply heading into 2021.
For the first quarter, we expect SG&A expenses of $16 million to $17 million.
Slightly higher than the prior quarter as Q1 always has higher employer payroll taxes.
We expect our first quarter borrowing costs to increase modestly due to an increase in the fee recognition as to the two securitization are now in natural runoff and continued pay down of our second SBA license.
Although very difficult to predict as Scott communicated we expect 150 to 200 million in prepayment activity in the first quarter. Finally as mentioned earlier, we have received approval for the SBA license.
Providing $175 million of attractive financing for qualified investments.
In closing, we delivered a solid quarter in Q4 and going forward. We will continue to focus on the things that we believe will position us best given the current operating environment and will now turn the call over to the operator to begin the Q&A part of our call Terry over to you.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you have a question at this time. Please press Star then the number one on your telephone keypad again, if you have question. Please press star one on your telephone keypad. If your question has been answered or you wish to your move yourself from the queue. Please press the pound.
You bet.
First question comes from the line of Christine Bob from Piper Sandler Your line is now open.
Thanks, Good afternoon can.
Can you speak to the recent proliferation of Spacs in the market and any impact or potential potential impact that you could see on Hercules or the broader BC industry.
I know venture fundings are near record levels based on multiple industry sources, but are there any worries that because of the spacs.
Just back demand that it could dampen venture debt demand in the near to medium term.
Sure. Thanks, Thanks Kristen.
There's no question that the spec market.
Has exploded here over the last several quarters and that has provided significant tailwind with respect to the existing portfolio. If you think about our activity across the portfolio right. Now we have five companies that have signed agreements as publicly disclosed two complete spec transactions.
And Thats for us Thats, a pretty significant part of our portfolio on a relative basis compared to what we would typically see in a normal quarter.
On the origination side I don't think its just limited to specs theres been theres been an abundance of equity inflows into the ecosystem.
And that has certainly created some challenges in terms of prudent underwriting, but we take a long term view and we actually think that when you think about it on a long term horizon, it's actually very beneficial to the ecosystem. It validates that these companies have a very long lifecycle. Ultimately these companies will continue to need growth.
Capital and so if they do expect financing or if they do an equity financing near term those are great opportunities for our team, which I think had some of the best relationships in the business to pursue those deals down the road and so I think as long as you take a long term approach to these things which is how we built this business and how we're going to continue to operate the business we look at the.
<unk> of equity, whether it's private public or spec related as a net positive to the ecosystem.
Okay. Thanks, that's all really helpful.
How are you how are you on the board balancing at the regular and the supplemental supplemental distribution levels right now the regular distribution had been very stable in recent years and recent net investment income has been covering that distribution and then you also have a very nice spillover right now about 90.
<unk>.
What do you think that you on the board would need to see to be able to bump that we bumped our regular distributions.
Yes, it's a great question and as you know we have a variable dividend policy. So it's something that the board evaluates on a quarterly basis and we don't just look short term, we look long term when we're making those decisions.
We've been very clear in terms of our public guidance on the last several calls that we see absolutely no risk to that 30, <unk> based distribution and we would reiterate that guidance on this call now if you think about what we've been able to do in terms of the special distributions, we've been able to deliver to our shareholders a sub.
<unk> or special distribution and six of the last seven quarters on top of the 32, <unk> based distribution and obviously subject to market conditions I think one of the things that we're going to look at near term here is trying to find a way to provide a little bit more consistency and continuity to those supplemental distributions we're in tremendous.
Indus position, where we have 94 spillover currently $107 $7 million were also sitting on per our public filings, which were released after the close today, some pretty substantial unrealized gains across our equity and warrant portfolio.
So we continue to be very confident in that spillover number and I think one of the things that we'll look at near term here is again as I mentioned trying to provide some additional consistency and continuity to those supplemental distributions that we've done in six of the last seven quarters.
Okay. Thank you for all the color.
Your next question comes from the line of did you bid and then Devin Ryan from JMP Securities. Your line is now moving.
Great. Thanks, so much good evening guys.
Hey, David how are you.
So on terrific. So I guess first question here like to dig in a little bit more just on.
Kind of the pace of underwriting or investment activity in the fourth quarter or the progression into the first quarter.
You talked a little bit about kind of looser conditions in the fourth quarter and so I'm curious kind of how things have evolved from.
From that until now clearly a lot of activity thus far for you in the first quarter itself.
Function on just they're kind of working through more opportunities that you're seeing more debt. That's interesting and you can be selective or.
Yeah, It was pricing.
Terms actually changed since the fourth quarter.
I think it's all of the above Kevin when you think about our business right. It ebbs and flows and I think part of being a disciplined credit underwriter as kind of knowing when to be aggressive and knowing when to pull back in Q3 of last year, we delivered record commitments of $514 million record fundings of 266.
And then frankly in Q4, we just saw a lot more interesting activity across our portfolio as the company is continuing to achieve milestones and sort of continue to show progress that we chose to be a little bit more aggressive in terms of capital deployment across our current portfolio and we just didn't see a lot of interesting attractive.
<unk> in terms of the new business side of things.
Part of that was driven by the strong equity capital markets and part of it as I mentioned was there were several deals done in our ecosystem that we just thought it didn't make a ton of sense from an underwriting perspective, and rather than chase those deals we chose to set those up and whether that was kind of a year end push by some other managers or not I think it's difficult to say, but.
If you think about what has sort of changed for us in Q1, we haven't seen that same aggressiveness and sort of desire to put assets on the books that we saw from some other players in Q4 and I think our team has taken advantage of that we've also kind of seen this business is about a 90 to 120 day cadence between when we start initiating contact with these companies.
And when we can sort of get through our process and get a deal done. So a lot of the great work that our team did in Q4 has just come from proficient in Q1, and that's put us in a great position to start the year, where we've already closed $294 million of new commitments and we have signed term sheets of another 248 million.
So.
Very pleased by what we're seeing quarter to date so far.
Okay terrific.
From a follow on to some of those comments.
You know a lot of capacity.
On average side relative to targets.
So.
As you guys look out.
You know over the next few quarters, how should we think about leverage trajectory.
And are you comfortable taking leverage up.
Whats the strong market right now kind of in the normal course of business or are you really looking to keep more dry powder just to the extent we get.
Some more interesting opportunities or we get some dislocation.
I'll address it at a high level and then I'll turn it over to SaaS, but we've significantly de levered through the course of Q4 as you saw in our announcement.
106% GAAP leverage, 93% regulatory leverage that 93% is well below our sort of target leverage or ceiling leverage on a regulatory basis of 125%. So.
We would expect to bring that leverage back up as we prudently deploy capital here on the first half of the year I also think it just speaks to the strength of our balance sheet. There is absolutely no need for us to do anything right now short term on the equity side of things and we have plenty of capacity and room within our existing leverage targets to be able to use that leverage to fund.
Our growth in the first half of this year.
Yeah, the only thing I would add is.
Our thesis has been that we expect 2020 to be split in between a COVID-19 period in a post vaccine period in the second half and we want to make sure that we're well positioned with our liquidity and leverage.
So that's why we've not taken steps to lower our liquidity, we have taken steps to make sure that our leverage stays well maintained and we have great opportunities right now to go out and add additional leverage but don't meet it yet so we'll see how the first half of the year develops and then we will take decisions in the second half of the year on how we do.
Deploy that capital that we already have.
Got it that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for taking my questions and congrats on a nice ended the year. Thanks, Kevin.
Okay.
Your next question comes from the line of Christopher Nolan from Ladenburg Thalmann. Your line is now open.
Hey, guys.
Hercules advisors could you elaborate a little bit on that is that one or are you going to be a sub advisor to other funds and bdcs or what.
It gives us a lot of flexibility and Theres nothing definitive at this time, Chris that we would be prepared to announce or discuss but what we've done is we.
We've thought SEC no action Exemptive relief to be able to setup a registered investment advisor as a wholly owned subsidiary of the public BDC.
We received that approval in 2020 that was that was announced publicly in an 8-K that we put out in the middle of last year and that now gives us the optionality to be able to explore a variety of things, we could raise private pools of capital and manage to sort of grow and diversify the platform outside of the BDC.
We could do a variety of other things that well as well I think the key point of distinction that I would make though is that given that the RIAA is wholly owned by the public BDC.
Any of the activity that we do underneath the RIAA would be for the benefit of our public company shareholders.
Great Okay great.
And then.
The realized loss.
But related to off to scan at all or is that other loans.
Yes.
Had we did realized.
Two losses on loans in Q4, we don't usually disclose the individual details though.
Yes, Chris the largest the largest driver was the optic scan equity position.
Got it okay, that's quarter guys. Thank you.
Thanks, Chris.
Your next question comes from the line of Simeon Sham from Wells Fargo Securities. Your line is now open.
Hi, everyone. Good afternoon.
First a question on the Alright Scot.
Scott.
I appreciate the color.
I understand from Chris's question, you are going too far into detail.
But.
A question on specs.
A couple of your from.
Alternatives peers have been.
Facilitating stack vehicles.
I think.
It can be very lucrative from the manager and for Hercules that would be a chance to.
Essentially really move the needle.
I'm not sure how that works under an art.
Format, but is there any.
Anything you can elaborate on on.
Say, even the potential.
Yes, Scott willingness for you to do that.
Thanks, Ben and not at this time, Inc.
<unk> gives us tremendous flexibility, but I think when you think about sort of what we're going to do potentially underneath the RIAA, it's going to be very consistent with what we've always said, which is we're going to stick to what we're good at and where we've kind of built scale and longevity and so we'll certainly look at new things and we will explore some new things, but I think theres a tremendous amount of.
Of growth for us from a platform perspective within our existing ecosystem and I think thats, where were likely to be sort of much more aggressive short term in any RIAA related activity.
Okay. Thank you and perhaps another sort of technical question on.
On on.
Your equity gains, there's obviously a few pretty.
Large ones on realized and there are lockups are you.
On the context of say these lockup agreements are you able to directly hedge these equities like say puts to be Frank.
If you had the view that today's market was very frothy for for those Ipos and such is that something you Kevin would do.
In the vast majority of lockup agreements you are contractually prohibited from hedging related activity so in virtually.
Most cases, we are not able to do so.
Okay. That's helpful and that's all from me. Thank you.
Thanks, very much Vin.
Your next question comes from the line of Ryan Lynch from <unk>. Your line is net.
Hey, good afternoon.
First question.
On a lot of discussion about the current market conditions, you talked about it being pretty frothy as there's been a lot of activity in the venture capital market as well as the.
On the big increase in <unk> I'm, just curious what if what if the and you've kind of talked about you guys. The term fee structure as being a little weaker in the fourth quarter, which is part of the reason that you guys pulled back on some of your fundings.
So my question is what if these conditions continue or even increase.
For the next several years do you have any sort of.
Will there be any sort of change in your investment philosophy or the way you approach the market in terms of maybe the lifecycle you you'll look to partner with a company out or and any comments on on how you would approach very frothy markets for for a very prolonged period of time going forward.
Yes, it's a great question Ryan I think you can you can look at our Q1 quarter to date activity and I think you can sort of you can ascertain from from that that it's not something that we expect what you saw in Q4, we don't expect it to be with us for long there will be periods in quarters, where it will ebb and flow in.
We'll pull back and we'll be a little bit more cautious but.
Q1 already quarter to date, we're on pace to assuming all of the signed term sheets, obviously get through our process and close to have over $500 million of new debt and equity commitments in Q1 alone. So.
I think our team has historically done a very good job at staying disciplined.
Think a mistake that a lot of people make is when they chase the equity so just because a company raises equity capital if they think that it's a great underwriting where a great credit story and it's just our view that that's not that's not always the case and so.
What I think our team does.
Well as we underwrite to the credit and to the profile of the company, we don't necessarily underwrite to the equity story or the post money valuation or how much equity capital is being raised because those things come and go and at the end of the day, you've got to have a fundamental business that you are underwriting to.
In terms of sort of the broader question that youre asking.
Zinc being able to sort of sustain the success that we've had over a 16 year period. We've now funded and financed nearly 600 different companies we've committed in excess of $11 billion over the last 16 years and so we've just built up a tremendous proprietary network of relationships.
And portfolio companies and deal flow that our team can take advantage of and not just within the existing portfolio, but in new opportunities as well and as our balance sheet has gotten stronger as our liquidity position has gotten stronger and as our asset base has increased we have greater flexibility today to go upstream.
Dream in terms of the types of companies, we're going after to focus more on that established stage part of the market, where those deals tend to be a little bit larger require a little bit more sophistication and I think thats, where youre likely to likely to see the majority of our activity here a short to medium term.
Mhm.
Got you that makes sense.
And then kind of pivoting I appreciate the conversation on the questions that you use.
The dividend but.
You know you had mentioned $108 million roughly of spillover income today.
If I look at your portfolio with three investments.
Could have realized gains.
On another $100 million just in 2021 of course, those valuations could change you never know where that will end up but based on today's prices. You know you could have an additional $100 million game.
No.
<unk> supplemental or special dividends isn't going to really work to try to manage.
On your historical spillover income plus potential realized gains so have you developed any policy.
How you are thinking about approaching distributing or managing these potential huge gains coming in 2021 in combination with youre already very large spillover income.
Yes, so look I think the word potential that you use there is important right because the unrealized gains that they are potential future realized gains right those have not been monetize and we'll obviously see how the market how the market reacts and then we'll make our decisions in the ordinary Kurt.
The ordinary course in terms of when and if we do want to monetize and harvest. Some of those gains were in great position with respect to the dividend. We're sitting on as you just said $108 million spillover at <unk> 94 per share. We made the decision for this quarter, obviously to do the 32 <unk> based distribution on the <unk> supplemental distribution as I mentioned.
In response to one of the earlier questions. The board is obviously aware of the size of the spillover and it's something that we're going to evaluate here on near term and I think the goal for US certainly on the next call here will be to try to find a way to provide a little bit more consistency and continuity with respect to how we handle those supplemental.
<unk>, but it just gives us tremendous flexibility to continue to not only ensure coverage of the base dividend, but also to provide this additional upside through the form of the special dividends to our shareholders and we will look near term here to try to provide a little bit more consistency with respect to how that will look certainly over the next several quarters.
Mhm.
Certainly I'd say definitely a favorable position to be in a good problem to have so I. Appreciate the time this afternoon and really great quarter guys. Thanks.
Thanks Ryan.
Your next question comes from the line of John Hecht from Jefferies. Your line is now open.
Afternoon, guys. Thanks for taking my questions and congratulations.
Most of my questions have been asked but I want I.
I guess the first one is a little bit of a follow on from the last discussion.
You talked about a bit of a frothy market and you guys don't stretch very selective and you have been.
But on one token you had you mentioned kind of a frothy market on the market on the other side I think your core spreads actually increased from Q3 to Q4, you've got a lot of momentum right now so it maybe maybe just a broader discussion about the competitive environment clearly shifts on a quarter to quarter basis, but maybe what are you seeing now.
Got from.
Where we are.
Intermediate or longer term perspective on competition relative to.
Prior couple of years.
I think so.
First John Thanks for the question I think the biggest competition. We have right now continues to be the equity markets. We're just seeing tremendous velocity of capital in the public equity markets, which primarily impacts our public life sciences portfolio in the private markets, which primarily impacts our private technology portfolio.
And then also in sort of the alternative equity side right. We've got five companies right now that have signed spec transactions. We had eight ipos in 2020, we had two ipos in Q4 alone following very strong IPO activity in Q3 and.
And so I think right now from a competitive perspective.
On the competitor that we see in the majority of deals is actually equity there are kind of the traditional debt players that we come across in the ordinary course and not a lot has changed there outside of what I mentioned in my remarks, which is in Q4, we did see several players just choose to get very very very on.
Aggressive on.
On the debt side of a couple of deals and our team did what we encourage them to do which is to kind of sit those out and let others Chase those deals we haven't seen that same trend. So far in Q1, and I think that's allowed our team to be much more aggressive in terms of capital deployment and I think that you can sort of see that in the numbers right with $294 million of commitments.
<unk> already closed and then another 248 million signed and on top of that we're sitting on $1 billion pipeline right now deals that we've qualified and we're actively looking at.
Yes, Okay. That's helpful and then.
Maybe kind of higher level commentary on Europe, I know you guys have been in similar industries over time SaaS in life Sciences, and some renewables and so forth anything kind of big picture oriented debt.
Would lead you into focusing on one of your sub categories more than the other in the near term.
I think what we've always tried to do is run a balanced credit book and in the current market. We're targeting that same sort of 50 50 exposure that we have targeted over the last year or so here and that's what we're continuing to target we want to make sure that our portfolio is balanced being able to underwrite originate and structure technology.
Transactions and life Sciences transactions underneath one umbrella is a significant competitive advantage and that's something that I think is very unique to the Hercules platform and there will be quarters like Q3 of last year, where our life Sciences team will outperform and then there will be periods like Q4, where our technology team will significantly.
The goal for us over the course of a year or so as to keep that as balanced as possible and right now we're continuing to target that book at roughly 50 50 exposure.
Okay.
Thanks very much.
Thanks, John.
Your next.
Your next question comes from the line of Sarkis <unk> from B Riley Securities. Your line is now open.
Good afternoon, and thanks for taking my question here.
Just wanted to follow up on the outlook commentary I guess, if we were to kind of make it very simple rate would you think that the first half of 'twenty, one looks a lot like the back half of your fiscal 'twenty period, and then as you kind of build the book back up.
For fiscal 'twenty, one second half without kind of look more like.
Just.
Let's say like the <unk>.
Regular quarter of originations and repayments.
Yes sure.
Thanks for your question. So I think the second half I'll start with the end of your question, we would expect to be more of a pre COVID-19 environment.
You see the evidence of the market development, even the equity markets are anticipating that increase already with a pretty high valuations. So I would expect that the second half of 2021, we would expect more of a pre COVID-19 environment for ourselves, although that may take a little bit of time to kick in.
For Q1, and Q2 I would expect that it would be more like the second half of 2020.
There were still.
We're being very prudent and who were approaching and working with.
And taking the right deals as opposed to not all the deals.
Great Thanks for that and as I look towards.
The net interest margin piece of the component seems to be your ability to take the cost of debt down I guess.
Any comments on further opportunistically, taking the average cost of debt lower than as you deploy back into a more.
Normal environment, if you will kind of the hopes of gaining better and better spreads.
Essentially yes.
And it's a great question I think that.
You're spot on that we will continue to work to drive down our cost of debt in.
In our current position with excess liquidity of more than $670 million available to us.
Not taking steps of approaching the market, we did in November and anticipation of expecting.
Expecting that 2021 was going to be a banner year again is the growth in the vaccine comes out.
But until we utilize the majority of our liquidity, including the new SBA license for $175 million I would expect debt will be.
Cautious.
In bringing that rate down you'll actually see it go up a little bit in the first half of the year and the reason why is because we're paying off that second spic's license.
On securitization are actually running off but our long term debt. The average price associated with that is coming down with the steps that we've taken in.
In the private placement market with the fact that we lowered the cost of the credit facility last year and with the expectation that as we start to utilize the liquidity that we already have the market is expected to stay at a very low priced basis for a protracted period of time.
And if the fed indications clearly are that we can expect low interest rates for the foreseeable future, we will definitely be taking advantage of that.
As we need to but first we need to use up this liquidity as the market kind of turns and the right opportunities come our way.
And then we will get back to work at raising additional debt when we need it at the lower cost that we see in the market right now.
Great. Thanks, that's all from me continued success for you guys.
Thanks, Markus Thanks Marcus.
Your next question comes from the line of from Casey Alexander from Clos Comcast point. Your line is now open.
Hi, good afternoon.
Most of the questions have been answered, but I do have one question.
The expansion of market Capitalizations, and given the fact that you guys have a reasonably tight market capitalization constraint could you remind us what that constraint is before alone falls into the bad asset bucket is that because of the expansion of market capitalizations.
Forcing a look at earlier stage companies there may be a little less mature and is that part of the reason why perhaps you're pulling back pulled back some on <unk>.
<unk> in the fourth quarter and as to the possibility of using the RIAA.
Bucket as a method of being able to invest in some of those larger companies and get them off balance sheet.
Thanks, Casey Okay, three three parts there so.
One the market cap test for purposes of the bad asset or ineligible asset test is $250 million. That's a one time test it's done at origination and so to the extent you originate a loan that has a market cap below that and then it appreciates above that it does not paint that asset. So it's a onetime tests done at the original.
<unk>.
On boarding of that loan and its $250 million.
In terms of the second question of absolutely no impact on our new business activity, we have always maintained a pretty substantial.
Healthy margin against that 30% bad asset bucket and we continue to maintain a very healthy margin against that bucket now so that did not impact any of our recent or near term investment activity and then the third part is absolutely. Yes. So one of the potential benefits of the <unk> structure is that it would allow us to be.
Yes.
More aggressive in that part of the market on a go forward basis without the constraints of the $250 million bad asset test for purposes of the public BDC. So that is one of the drivers of that.
That decision.
And again I think the key theme with respect to that activity would be to the extent that we did do something in terms of a private credit fund and went after that market more aggressively because it's wholly owned by the public BDC. It would be done for the benefit of our public company shareholders.
Alright, great. Thank you that's all my questions. Thanks, Casey Casey.
There are no further questions at this time im going to turn the call back to you.
Thank you Michael Herring.
Thank you operator, and thanks to everyone for joining our call today, we look forward to reporting our progress on our next Q1 2021 earnings call.
Also we will be virtually attending the RBC capital markets financial institutions Conference in March if you are interested in meeting with US at this event, please contact RBC capital markets or Michael Hara. Thank.
Thank you and good afternoon.
You made it.
This concludes today's conference call. Thank you all for joining you may now disconnect.
Yeah.
Okay.
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