Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE: MSDL) (“MSDL” or the “Company”), a business development company externally managed by MS Capital Partners Adviser Inc. (the “Adviser”), today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.
QUARTERLY HIGHLIGHTS
- Net investment income of $58.7 million, or $0.66 per share, as compared to $56.1 million, or $0.63 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2024;
- Net asset value of $20.83 per share, flat as compared to June 30, 2024;
- Debt-to-equity was 0.99x as of September 30, 2024, as compared to 0.90x as of June 30, 2024;
- New investment commitments of $455.4 million, fundings of $377.0 million and sales and repayments of $252.9 million, resulting in net funded deployment of $124.1 million; and
- The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) declared a regular dividend of $0.50 per share to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2024 as well as a special dividend, which was previously declared by the Board on January 11, 2024, of $0.10 per share to stockholders of record as of August 5, 2024.
SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
For the Quarter Ended |
|||
|
September 30, 2024 |
June 30, 2024 |
|
Net investment income per share |
$0.66 |
$0.63 |
|
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) per share1 |
($0.06) |
$0.03 |
|
Earnings per share |
$0.60 |
$0.66 |
|
Regular dividend per share |
$0.50 |
$0.50 |
|
Special dividend per share |
$0.10 |
- |
|
1 Amount shown may not correspond for the period as it includes the effect of the timing of the distribution and the issuance of common stock. |
|||
As of |
|||
($ in thousands, except per share information) |
September 30, 2024 |
June 30, 2024 |
|
Investments, at fair value |
$3,640,324 |
$3,514,286 |
|
Total debt outstanding, at principal |
$1,841,987 |
$1,675,474 |
|
Net assets |
$1,853,722 |
$1,861,961 |
|
Net asset value per share |
$20.83 |
$20.83 |
|
Debt to equity |
0.99x |
0.90x |
|
Net debt to equity |
0.94x |
0.85x |
|
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Total investment income for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $109.8 million, compared to $104.2 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024. The increase was driven by deployment of capital and repayment related income.
Total expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 were $51.0 million, compared to $48.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The increase in expenses quarter over quarter was attributable to higher interest and other financing expenses driven by an increase in weighted average debt outstanding.
Net investment income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $58.7 million, or $0.66 per share, compared to $56.1 million, or $0.63 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.
For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, net change in unrealized appreciation on investments was $5.4 million, offset by realized losses of $11.0 million.
PORTFOLIO AND INVESTMENT ACTIVITY
As of September 30, 2024, the Company’s investment portfolio had a fair value of approximately $3.6 billion, comprised of 200 portfolio companies across 33 industries, with an average investment size of $18.2 million, or 0.5% of our total portfolio on a fair value basis. The composition of the Company’s investments was the following:
|
|
September 30, 2024 |
June 30, 2024 |
|||||||||
($ in thousands) |
|
Cost |
|
Fair Value |
|
% of Total Investments at Fair Value |
|
Cost |
|
Fair Value |
|
% of Total Investments at Fair Value |
First Lien Debt |
|
$3,506,164 |
|
$3,492,302 |
|
96.0% |
|
$3,356,586 |
|
$3,345,743 |
|
95.3% |
Second Lien Debt |
|
93,422 |
|
84,074 |
|
2.3 |
|
122,416 |
|
103,144 |
|
2.9 |
Other Debt Investments |
|
9,525 |
|
8,809 |
|
0.2 |
|
9,289 |
|
8,467 |
|
0.2 |
Equity |
|
53,507 |
|
55,139 |
|
1.5 |
|
53,735 |
|
56,932 |
|
1.6 |
Total |
|
$3,662,618 |
|
$3,640,324 |
|
100.0% |
|
$3,542,035 |
|
$3,514,286 |
|
100.0% |
Investment activity for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and June 30, 2024, was as follows:
Investment Activity: |
September 30, 2024 |
June 30, 2024 |
New investment commitments, at par |
$455,365 |
$673,902 |
Investment fundings |
$377,019 |
$499,684 |
Number of new Investment commitments in portfolio companies |
19 |
22 |
Number of portfolio companies exited or fully repaid |
11 |
8 |
Total weighted average yield of investments in debt securities at amortized cost and fair value was 11.0% and 11.0%, respectively, as of September 30, 2024, compared to 11.6% and 11.7%, respectively, as of June 30, 2024. Floating rate debt investments as a percentage of total portfolio on a fair value basis was 99.6% as of September 30, 2024, unchanged compared to June 30, 2024. As of September 30, 2024, certain investments in two portfolio companies were on non-accrual status, representing approximately 0.2% of total investments at amortized cost.
CAPITAL AND LIQUIDITY
As of September 30, 2024, the Company had total principal debt outstanding of $1,842.0 million, including $246.0 million outstanding in the Company’s BNP funding facility, $546.0 million outstanding in the Company’s Truist credit facility, $275.0 million outstanding in the Company’s senior unsecured notes due September 2025, $425.0 million outstanding in the Company’s senior unsecured notes due February 2027 and $350.0 million outstanding in the Company’s senior unsecured notes due May 2029. Additionally, on August 21, 2024, the Company executed an amendment to the BNP Funding Facility, which extended the maturity from September 2028 to August 2029 and reduced the applicable margin on borrowings from 2.85% to 2.25%. The combined weighted average interest rate on debt outstanding was 6.45% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had $1,102.7 million of availability under its credit facilities and $88.4 million in unrestricted cash. Debt to equity was 0.99x and 0.90x as of September 30, 2024 and June 30, 2024, respectively.
SHARE REPURCHASES
On January 25, 2024, the Company entered into a share repurchase plan to acquire up to $100 million in the aggregate of the Company’s Common Stock at prices below NAV. For the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company purchased 429,653 shares at an average price of $20.06 per share.
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
- On November 4, 2024, the Board declared a regular distribution of $0.50 per share, which is payable on January 24, 2025 to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2024.
- The Board previously declared a $0.10 per share special dividend to shareholders of record as of November 4, 2024, which is payable on January 24, 2025.
CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund will host a conference call on Friday, November 8, 2024 at 10:00 am ET to review its financial results and conduct a question-and-answer session. All interested parties are invited to participate in the live earnings conference call by using the following dial-in numbers or audio webcast link available on the MSDL Investor Relations website:
- Audio Webcast
- Conference Call
- Domestic: 323-994-2093
- International: 888-394-8218
- Passcode: 1797706
To avoid potential delays, please join at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the earnings call. An archived replay will also be available on the MSDL Investor Relations website.
About Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE: MSDL) is a non-diversified, externally managed specialty finance company focused on lending to middle-market companies. MSDL has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. MSDL is externally managed by MS Capital Partners Adviser Inc., an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. MSDL is not a subsidiary of or consolidated with Morgan Stanley. For more information about Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, please visit www.msdl.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included herein or on the webcast/conference call may constitute “forward-looking statements,” which relate to future events or MSDL’s future performance or financial condition. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results and conditions 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 MSDL’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. MSDL undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made herein or on the webcast/conference call.
Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities |
||||||
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts) |
||||||
|
|
As of |
||||
|
|
September 30, 2024 |
|
December 31, 2023 |
||
|
|
(Unaudited) |
|
(Audited) |
||
Assets |
|
|
|
|
||
Non-controlled/non-affiliated investments, at fair value (amortized cost of $3,662,618 and $3,226,776) |
|
$ |
3,640,324 |
|
$ |
3,193,561 |
Cash and cash equivalents (restricted cash of $2,000 and $0) |
|
|
90,428 |
|
|
69,705 |
Deferred financing costs |
|
|
17,499 |
|
|
14,317 |
Interest and dividend receivable from non-controlled/non-affiliated investments |
|
|
31,793 |
|
|
28,884 |
Subscription receivable |
|
|
— |
|
|
41 |
Receivable for investments sold |
|
|
1,869 |
|
|
173 |
Prepaid expenses and other assets |
|
|
11,455 |
|
|
53 |
Total assets |
|
|
3,793,368 |
|
|
3,306,734 |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
||
Debt (net of unamortized debt issuance costs of $7,420 and $5,564) |
|
|
1,841,565 |
|
|
1,496,032 |
Payable for investment purchased |
|
|
7,101 |
|
|
8 |
Payable to affiliates (Note 3) |
|
|
173 |
|
|
2,870 |
Dividends payable |
|
|
53,527 |
|
|
49,968 |
Management fees payable |
|
|
6,825 |
|
|
2,012 |
Income based incentive fees payable |
|
|
8,448 |
|
|
11,766 |
Interest payable |
|
|
16,824 |
|
|
18,823 |
Accrued expenses and other liabilities |
|
|
5,713 |
|
|
4,104 |
Total liabilities |
|
|
1,939,646 |
|
|
1,585,583 |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Commitments and contingencies (Note 7) |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net assets |
|
|
|
|
||
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value (1,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding) |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
Common stock, par value $0.001 (100,000,000 shares authorized; 89,008,972 and 83,278,831 shares issued and outstanding) |
|
|
89 |
|
|
83 |
Paid-in capital in excess of par value |
|
|
1,823,833 |
|
|
1,712,609 |
Total distributable earnings (loss) |
|
|
29,800 |
|
|
8,459 |
Total net assets |
|
$ |
1,853,722 |
|
$ |
1,721,151 |
Total liabilities and net assets |
|
$ |
3,793,368 |
|
$ |
3,306,734 |
Net asset value per share |
|
$ |
20.83 |
|
$ |
20.67 |
Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited) |
||||||||||||||||
(In thousands, except share amounts) |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
For the Three Months Ended |
|
For the Nine Months Ended |
||||||||||||
|
|
September 30, 2024 |
|
September 30, 2023 |
|
September 30, 2024 |
|
September 30, 2023 |
||||||||
Investment Income: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
From non-controlled/non-affiliated investments: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Interest income |
|
$ |
105,129 |
|
|
$ |
90,977 |
|
|
$ |
298,832 |
|
|
$ |
259,267 |
|
Payment-in-kind |
|
|
2,150 |
|
|
|
1,141 |
|
|
|
7,644 |
|
|
|
2,204 |
|
Dividend income |
|
|
670 |
|
|
|
564 |
|
|
|
1,881 |
|
|
|
1,564 |
|
Other income |
|
|
1,803 |
|
|
|
1,769 |
|
|
|
4,684 |
|
|
|
3,949 |
|
Total investment income |
|
|
109,752 |
|
|
|
94,451 |
|
|
|
313,041 |
|
|
|
266,984 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Interest and other financing expenses |
|
|
33,153 |
|
|
|
29,686 |
|
|
|
89,715 |
|
|
|
84,260 |
|
Management fees |
|
|
9,100 |
|
|
|
7,754 |
|
|
|
25,969 |
|
|
|
22,503 |
|
Income based incentive fees |
|
|
10,128 |
|
|
|
10,727 |
|
|
|
33,018 |
|
|
|
30,246 |
|
Professional fees |
|
|
1,708 |
|
|
|
1,296 |
|
|
|
4,612 |
|
|
|
3,385 |
|
Directors’ fees |
|
|
130 |
|
|
|
85 |
|
|
|
404 |
|
|
|
253 |
|
Administrative service fees |
|
|
138 |
|
|
|
27 |
|
|
|
180 |
|
|
|
141 |
|
General and other expenses |
|
|
120 |
|
|
|
118 |
|
|
|
279 |
|
|
|
483 |
|
Total expenses |
|
|
54,477 |
|
|
|
49,693 |
|
|
|
154,177 |
|
|
|
141,271 |
|
Management fees waiver (Note 3) |
|
|
(2,275 |
) |
|
|
(5,816 |
) |
|
|
(7,532 |
) |
|
|
(16,878 |
) |
Incentive fees waiver (Note 3) |
|
|
(1,680 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(4,542 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
Net expenses |
|
|
50,522 |
|
|
|
43,877 |
|
|
|
142,103 |
|
|
|
124,393 |
|
Net investment income (loss) before taxes |
|
|
59,230 |
|
|
|
50,574 |
|
|
|
170,938 |
|
|
|
142,591 |
|
Excise tax expense |
|
|
501 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
1,437 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Net investment income (loss) after taxes |
|
|
58,729 |
|
|
|
50,574 |
|
|
|
169,501 |
|
|
|
142,591 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Net realized gain (loss) on non-controlled/non-affiliated investments |
|
|
(10,965 |
) |
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
(16,482 |
) |
|
|
127 |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on non-controlled/non-affiliated investments |
|
|
5,442 |
|
|
|
22,829 |
|
|
|
10,916 |
|
|
|
30,909 |
|
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) |
|
|
(5,523 |
) |
|
|
22,834 |
|
|
|
(5,566 |
) |
|
|
31,036 |
|
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations |
|
$ |
59,045 |
|
|
$ |
73,408 |
|
|
$ |
163,935 |
|
|
$ |
173,627 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Net investment income (loss) per share (basic and diluted) |
|
$ |
0.66 |
|
|
$ |
0.70 |
|
|
$ |
1.91 |
|
|
$ |
2.00 |
|
Earnings per share (basic and diluted) |
|
$ |
0.60 |
|
|
$ |
1.02 |
|
|
$ |
1.85 |
|
|
$ |
2.43 |
|
Weighted average shares outstanding |
|
|
89,264,686 |
|
|
|
71,874,113 |
|
|
|
88,633,994 |
|
|
|
71,361,910 |
|
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241107601356/en/
Contacts
Investors
Michael Occi
msdl@morganstanley.com
Media
Alyson Barnes
212-762-0514
alyson.barnes@morganstanley.com
