Horizon Technology Finance Stock: A High Quality, 10.4% Yielding Tech-Focused BDC (HRZN)

Horizon Engineering Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:HRZN) experienced a 24% valuation reduce in 2022, and the business development organization is now worth purchasing at guide value.

Horizon Technology Finance is a higher-yielding, technologies-targeted BDC with a yield that recently surpassed 10%. To guidance its progress, the business progress company has a secured, credit card debt-oriented investment decision portfolio.

Horizon Technology Finance’s credit history portfolio is undertaking well, and the stock could sooner or later trade at a increased book worth a number of.

Yet another Gem In the BDC Sector

Organization growth organizations have endured major valuation losses in 2022, owing to investors’ expectation that recession aspects will have an affect on the sector’s potential clients for reserve price development.

All through recessions, it is a lot more difficult for small business progress companies to deliver positive growth in important metrics these types of as internet investment decision profits (thanks to portfolio revenue stress) and reserve worth (due to strain on credit history high quality which tends to boost in the course of recessions).

With that mentioned, I feel it is time for dividend investors to concentrate on BDCs that, owing to their credit rating functionality and floating fee exposure, have the possible to outperform the sector.

Horizon Technology Finance is a regular monthly-spending specialty finance enterprise with a quickly expanding financial investment portfolio. The portfolio had 50 credit card debt investments and 81 warrant positions as of March 31, 2022.

Financial debt investments created by the BDC are generally Senior Time period Loans that deliver the BDC with a higher amount of capital safety. In March, the firm’s financial debt, warrant, and fairness positions ended up valued at $515 million, and the BDC was invested at a 12.4% annualized regular portfolio produce.

Horizon Technological innovation Finance is an intriguing dividend expense for the reason that it mostly invests in progress-stage providers in the technologies, lifestyle science, health care information and facts, and expert services industries, and it participates in the upside of individuals businesses by way of equity and warrant positions.

Horizon Technological innovation Finance is related in several methods to Hercules Cash, one more BDC that seeks to capitalize on equity upside in unique technological know-how niches.

Horizon Technologies Finance has made and nurtured a technological know-how-target in enterprise cash, which is wherever the BDC sees the finest opportunity for higher returns. The BDC is perfectly-diversified and steers clear of cyclical industries that pose earnings and income flow threats. Biotechnology as an business accounts for 22% of the BDC’s full market exposure.

NII Exceeds Distributions

Horizon Technological know-how Finance’s portfolio created $1.41 for each share in net expense profits in 2021, though BDC compensated out $1.25 for every share, implying an 89% fork out-out ratio. The dividend pay out-out ratio was 90% from 2019 to 2021, so traders can fairly presume that the $.10 per share regular monthly dividend is sustainable.

Sail By The Upcoming Curiosity Rate Hiking Cycle With Horizon Technological know-how Finance

The central bank is aggressively increasing rates, earning now an fantastic time to choose BDCs with the biggest amount of money of floating price publicity.

Horizon Technologies Finance structures its finance discounts diligently to make certain 100% floating fee publicity, which implies HRZN has much more floating rate exposure than the normal enterprise enhancement firm in the sector.

This implies that a considerable maximize in desire costs will gain Horizon Technologies Finance much more than other BDCs. Dependent on the BDC’s desire sensitivity desk, a 200-foundation-point boost in curiosity charges is envisioned to outcome in a $8.26 million enhance in Horizon Engineering Finance’s net assets.

Investing At E-book Price

Mainly because of their similarities in specific industries and offer buildings, I consider Hercules Funds is the ideal similar for Horizon Know-how Finance. Hercules Funds has a P/B ratio of 1.3x, owing to the BDC’s substantial achievements with its tech-centered expense tactic that combines curiosity payments with equity upside.

Simply because the market place rewards HTGC for the regularity of its portfolio final results, the BDC trades at a top quality to e book price. Horizon Technologies Finance now has a P/B ratio of 1.0x, implying that HRZN may be a much better buy than Hercules Capital dependent solely on book benefit.

Are There Any Asset High quality Complications?

Ideal now, I never see any major concerns. Horizon Technological innovation Finance had a person personal loan that was past owing as of March 31, 2022. The price tag of this expenditure was $11.9 million, and the good price was $5.5 million. On a truthful worth foundation, the non-accrual ratio was about 1%, centered on the full portfolio worth of $515 million.

Why Horizon Engineering Finance Could See A Reduced Stock Rate

To acquire up-to-day facts about Horizon Technological innovation Finance’s portfolio general performance, traders should really intently keep track of the BDC’s book worth craze and non-accrual ratio. With only one particular non-accrual financial investment, I would say portfolio top quality is sturdy, but factors can often modify for the even worse, in particular if the BDC sector is destabilized by a economic downturn.

My Conclusion

Now that Horizon Technological innovation Finance is buying and selling at reserve value, the proposition turns into additional captivating.

HRZN is 1 of the ideal bets in the BDC sector for soaring curiosity charges since it is 100% uncovered to floating costs.

The dividend is lined and fairly secure, although non-accruals are held to a minimum amount.

Horizon Technologies Finance is distinguished by its technological aim, and fairness appreciation success in the payment of particular dividends.