Fidus Investment

FDUS

Market cap $730M

BDC sector valuations remain depressed, with P/NAV metrics under 1x due to falling rates and credit risk concerns. Dividend sustainability is diverging across BDCs; not all will cut, but the ones with sustainable dividends do not automatically have strong total return prospects. I highlight one BDC as a compelling bargain with strong total return prospects and contrast it with another viewed as highly overpriced.

Blue-chip dividend stocks are generally excellent investments for investors who prioritize a combination of income, total returns, and risk management. Two widely trusted blue-chip dividend stocks may be increasingly at-risk of a sharp pullback. I take a look at why this is the case.

Investors have started to question how sustainable BDC dividends are. A lot of this skepticism is logical and justified by valid reasons. My calculus shows that on average BDCs could cut their dividends by 20% in order to avoid NAV erosion.

BDCs remain under pressure and the percentage of BDC float that is linked to short sellers has clearly risen. The market seems to question the sustainability of reported NAVs. I completely see how BDC investments might seem uncomfortable for really stable passive income investors.

BDC net investment income levels are declining as the Fed lowers rates. Despite lower base rates, I see no reason to rotate out of the BDC sector. In the article I detail how BDCs have outperformed the S&P 500 and high yield credit even in prolonged low-rate environments.

The rebound that began in April on stock markets around the world is leading to a positive double-digit year-end close for Wall Street. This increase has been partially reflected in my portfolio, which focuses on high-dividend securities, showing a gain of more than 6% against the cost basis. In addition, there has been a recent flurry of positive news regarding various special year-end distributions announced by several funds in my portfolio.

Investors are being handed a rare gift with some high-yielding, undervalued opportunities available right now. Two 8-10% yields look far safer and cheaper than the market assumes. I share a contrarian setup that could quietly deliver very strong total returns.

We are entering 2026 with record highs and a 3-year bull-run. Investing in 10%+ yielding securities might not be the smartest idea against this kind of backdrop, when, theoretically, we should be considering a risk-off move. However, there are safe and high-yielding exceptions to be found.

This Is How I'm Harvesting BDC Cash Flows For My Retirement. The double-digit yields, term 'private credit,' cases like First Brands and Tricolor are just some examples that introduce a high degree of skepticism. However, if done right, BDCs can bring a lot of value to the table for safe passive income investors.

BDCs face earnings pressure from lower base rates, but fears of severe dividend cuts are overstated. Quite many BDCs have several levers to pull in order to absorb ~100 bps of base rate cuts without touching their dividends. Yet, I would say that the non-accrual risk is understated.