Stellus Capital Investment Corporation Reports Results for its Second Fiscal Quarter Ended June 30, 2026

HOUSTON, Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Stellus Capital Investment Corporation (NYSE: SCM) ("Stellus", "we", or the "Company") today announced financial results for its fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2026.

Robert T. Ladd, Chief Executive Officer of Stellus, stated, "I am pleased to report solid operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, in which we earned both U.S. GAAP net investment income and core net investment income of $0.26 per share and net realized income of $0.01 per share. During the quarter, we funded $18 million of investments and received $49 million of repayments, resulting in a total portfolio of $968 million at fair value. I'm also pleased to report that since we announced our Share Repurchase Program in March, we have repurchased 467,317 shares at an average price of $8.50 per share."

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

($ in millions, except data relating to per share amounts and shares outstanding)

PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY

($ in millions, except data relating to per share amounts, shares outstanding, and number of portfolio companies)

Results of Operations

Investment income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 totaled $22.3 million and $25.7 million, respectively, most of which was interest income from portfolio investments.

Gross operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 totaled $14.8 million and $17.1 million, respectively. For the same respective periods, base management fees totaled $4.4 million and $4.3 million, income incentive fees totaled $0.2 million and $2.2 million, fees and expenses related to our borrowings totaled $8.5 million and $8.7 million (including interest and amortization of deferred financing costs), administrative expenses totaled $0.6 million and $0.5 million, income tax totaled $0.0 million and $0.4 million and other expenses totaled $1.1 million and $1.0 million. The Company waived $0.0 million and $1.0 million of income incentive fees due to the total return limitation pursuant to the provisions of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and the Advisor (as defined below) for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively, for net operating expenses of $14.8 million and $16.1 million, respectively.

Net investment income was $7.5 million and $9.6 million, or $0.26 and $0.34 per common share based on 28,869,028 and 28,412,849 weighted average common shares outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively. Core net investment income, which is a non-U.S. GAAP measure that excludes capital gains incentive fees (reversals) and income tax expense accruals, for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 was $7.6 million and $10.0 million, or $0.26 and $0.35 per share, respectively.

For the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the Company's investment portfolio had a net change in unrealized appreciation of $15.9 million and $1.4 million, respectively, and the Company had net realized losses of ($7.2) million and ($0.9) million, respectively.

Net increase in net assets resulting from operations totaled $16.2 million and $10.1 million, or $0.56 and $0.36 per common share, based on 28,869,028 and 28,412,849 weighted average common shares outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, respectively.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of June 30, 2026, the Company's amended senior secured revolving credit agreement with certain bank lenders and Zions Bancorporation, N.A. dba Amegy Bank, as administrative agent (as amended from time to time, the "Credit Facility") provided for borrowings in an aggregate amount of up to $335.0 million on a committed basis. As of both June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the Credit Facility had an accordion feature which allowed for potential future expansion of the facility size up to $365.0 million.

As of June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the Company had $222.2 million and $236.6 million in outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility, respectively.

On March 3, 2026, the Company announced that its Board authorized a program for the purpose of repurchasing up to $20,0 million of its shares of common stock (the "Repurchase Program"). Under the Repurchase Program, the Company may, but is not obligated to, repurchase its outstanding common stock in the open market from time to time, provided that the Company complies with the requirements under its Code of Ethics and the guidelines specified in Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including certain price, market volume and timing constraints. Unless amended or extended by the Board, the Repurchase Program will expire on the earlier of March 2, 2027 or when $20.0 million of the Company's outstanding shares of common stock have been repurchased.

During the three months ended June 30, 2026, the Company repurchased 274,343 shares of its common stock under the Repurchase Program for an aggregate purchase price of $2,447,682, including commissions, at a weighted average net repurchase price of $8.92 per share.

Distributions

For the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the Company declared aggregate distributions of $0.34 per share and $0.40 per share, respectively ($9.8 million and $11.4 million in the aggregate, respectively). Tax characteristics of all distributions are reported to stockholders on Form 1099-DIV. Tax characteristics of all distributions will be reported to stockholders on Form 1099-DIV after the end of the calendar year. None of these dividends are expected to include a return of capital.

Recent Portfolio Activity

The Company invested in the following portfolio companies during the three months ended June 30, 2026:

The Company realized investments in the following portfolio companies during the three months ended June 30, 2026:

Activity Type

Events Subsequent to June 30, 2026

The Company's management has evaluated subsequent events through August 10, 2026. There have been no subsequent events that require recognition or disclosure except for the following described below.

Investment Portfolio

The Company invested in the following portfolio companies subsequent to June 30, 2026:

The Company realized investments in the following portfolio companies subsequent to June 30, 2026:

Credit Facility 

The outstanding balance under the Credit Facility as of August 10, 2026 was $211.7 million.

SBA Licensing

On July 14, 2026, we received a license from the SBA for the SBIC III subsidiary, which allows us to contribute $125.0 million of equity and draw up to $250.0 million of SBA-guaranteed debentures, subject to the increased family of funds limit of $475.0 million across all of our SBIC subsidiaries and applicable SBA regulations and policies.

Distributions Declared

On July 16, 2026, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a regular monthly dividend for each of July 2026, August 2026, and September 2026 as follows:

Share Repurchase Program

Since June 30, 2026, we repurchased 192,974 shares of our common stock under the Repurchase Program at a weighted-average purchase price of $7.95 per share.

Conference Call Information

Stellus Capital Investment Corporation will host a conference call to discuss these results on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM, Central Time. The conference call will be led by Robert T. Ladd, Chief Executive Officer, and W. Todd Huskinson, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary.

For those wishing to participate by telephone, please dial (888) 506-0062. Use passcode 218557. Starting approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call, a replay will be available through Tuesday, August 25, 2026 by dialing (877) 481-4010 and entering passcode 54324. The replay will also be available on the Company's website.

For those wishing to participate via Live Webcast, connect via the Public (SCIC) section of our website at www.stelluscapital.com, under the Events tab. A replay of the conference will be available on our website for approximately 90 days.

About Stellus Capital Investment Corporation

The Company is an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified investment management company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Company's investment objective is to maximize the total return to its stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in private lower middle-market companies (typically those with $5.0 million to $50.0 million of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)) with a focus on investing through first lien (including unitranche) loans, often with a corresponding equity investment. The Company's investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Stellus Capital Management. To learn more about Stellus Capital Investment Corporation, visit www.stelluscapital.com under the "Public (SCIC)" tab. Stellus Capital Management, LLC was acquired by Ridgepost Capital, LLC on June 22, 2026. Ridgepost Capital, LLC's parent company, Ridgepost Capital, Inc., is a reporting company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Please reference Ridgepost Capital, Inc.'s periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included herein may contain "forward-looking statements" which relate to future performance or financial condition. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the final prospectus that will be filed with the 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 press release.

Contacts

Stellus Capital Investment Corporation
W. Todd Huskinson, Chief Financial Officer
(713) 292-5414
thuskinson@stelluscapital.com

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

STELLUS CAPITAL INVESTMENT CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS (unaudited)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited)

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SOURCE Stellus Capital Investment Corporation