Morgan Stanley Direct Lending FundMSDL
MSDL
About: Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund is a fund whose investment objective is to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns via current income and to a lesser extent, capital appreciation by investing predominantly in directly originated senior secured term loans issued by U.S. middle-market companies backed by private equity sponsors. It invests predominantly in directly originated senior secured term loans including first lien senior secured term loans including unitranche loans and second lien senior secured term loans, with the balance of the investments expected to be in higher-yielding assets such as mezzanine debt, unsecured debt, equity investments and other opportunistic asset purchases.
0
Funds holding %
of 7,312 funds
0
Analysts bullish %
of 4 analysts
Fund manager confidence
Based on 2025 Q1 regulatory disclosures by fund managers ($100M+ AUM)
325% more repeat investments, than reductions
Existing positions increased: 51 | Existing positions reduced: 12
127% more first-time investments, than exits
New positions opened: 25 | Existing positions closed: 11
19% more capital invested
Capital invested by funds: $432M [Q4 2024] → $513M (+$81.2M) [Q1 2025]
15% more funds holding
Funds holding: 82 [Q4 2024] → 94 (+12) [Q1 2025]
5.54% more ownership
Funds ownership: 23.48% [Q4 2024] → 29.02% (+5.54%) [Q1 2025]
0% more funds holding in top 10
Funds holding in top 10: 1 [Q4 2024] → 1 (+0) [Q1 2025]
57% less call options, than puts
Call options by funds: $1.26M | Put options by funds: $2.92M
Research analyst outlook
4 Wall Street Analysts provided 1 year price targets over the past 3 months
Low target
$19
1%
downside
Avg. target
$20
4%
upside
High target
$21
9%
upside
4 analyst ratings
1 positive
25%
3 neutral
75%
0 negative
0%
RBC Capital Kenneth Lee | 9%upside $21 | Outperform Maintained | 22 May 2025 |
Wells Fargo Finian O'Shea | 1%downside $19 | Equal-Weight Maintained | 28 Apr 2025 |
JP Morgan Melissa Wedel | 1%upside $19.50 | Neutral Maintained | 24 Apr 2025 |
UBS Doug Harter | 6%upside $21 | Neutral Maintained | 17 Apr 2025 |
Financial journalist opinion
Based on 10 articles about MSDL published over the past 30 days
Positive
Seeking Alpha
2 days ago
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending: Impressive Resilience Amidst Uncertainty
MSDL has shown resilience and quality amid sector headwinds, with solid fundamentals, low non-accruals, and modest NAV decline despite economic uncertainty. Dividend coverage has tightened due to lower net investment income, but spillover income and a well-diversified portfolio help support near-term payout safety. MSDL trades at an attractive discount to NAV, offering value for income investors, yet economic uncertainty and potential rate cuts warrant caution.
Neutral
Business Wire
3 days ago
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund Announces Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE: MSDL) ("MSDL”), a business development company externally managed by MS Capital Partners Adviser Inc., today announced it will release its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, on Thursday, August 7, 2025, after the market closes. MSDL will host a conference call at 10:00 am ET on Friday, August 8, 2025, to review its financial results and conduct a question-and-answer session. Conference Call Information All.
Positive
Seeking Alpha
1 week ago
Rare (Financial) Independence Day Specials: Very Undervalued Blue-Chip 10%+ Yields
It is rare to find blue-chip stocks yielding over 10% that are also deeply discounted. Fortunately, Mr. Market is offering several such opportunities right now. We discuss some of them in this article.
Positive
Seeking Alpha
1 week ago
10% And 7% Yields You Can Trust - 2 High-Quality Dividend Machines I'd Buy Today
Many overlook dividend theory, but it's not just about income. It's about capital discipline, smart allocation, and long-term shareholder value. Vanguard's study confirms what I've long believed: dividend investors aren't just chasing cash, they value quality, consistency, and resilience. That's why I like two high-yield stocks that offer more than payouts. They're backed by strong portfolios, smart strategies, and real staying power.
Positive
Seeking Alpha
2 weeks ago
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending: These Negative Aspects Don't Change My Bullish Views
MSDL trades at a discount to NAV yet boasts a highly defensive, diversified, first-lien debt portfolio focused on non-cyclical industries. Despite a recent dip in net investment income due to lower rates and expired fee waivers, portfolio quality and credit remain strong with minimal non-accruals. I maintain a 'buy' rating, expecting double-digit total returns as MSDL remains resilient amid market volatility and benefits from improving deal flow.
Positive
Seeking Alpha
2 weeks ago
Macro Fears? Buy 10%-Yielding Low-Risk MSDL
MSDL offers a 10.5% dividend yield, backed by a conservative, first-lien loan portfolio and strong balance sheet, making it attractive for risk-averse investors. The fund is largely insulated from trade tensions and geopolitical risks due to its focus on non-cyclical, US-based companies in sectors like healthcare and software. Recent Fed rate cuts pressured yields, but portfolio growth and stable rates should support net investment income and dividend sustainability going forward.
Positive
Seeking Alpha
2 weeks ago
5-9% Yields To Build A Low-Stress Dividend Income Stream
Building a low-stress retirement income stream requires a diversified portfolio of durable, defensive, and dividend-growing stocks or funds. I share two approaches to achieving a low-stress dividend growth portfolio that yields 5-9%. I detail which of the two approaches is my favorite, as well as some of my top big dividend growth picks for retirees right now.
Neutral
Seeking Alpha
2 weeks ago
2 Deep Value BDCs: One Bargain, One Bust
Currently, an average BDC trades at an 8% discount to NAV. However, those with high dividend cut probabilities have 20%+ discounts. Many of these heavily punished BDCs are busts.
Negative
Seeking Alpha
2 weeks ago
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending: Disappointing Performance And Weak Dividend Coverage (Rating Downgrade)
Downgrading MSDL to hold, due to declining earnings, weak dividend coverage, and rising PIK interest income, signaling potential portfolio quality concerns. MSDL's discount to NAV has widened, reflecting increased market skepticism and risk, despite a high yield of 10.3% and low non-accrual rates. Q1 earnings were disappointing, with the lowest net investment income in a year and sluggish new investment activity, raising doubts about future growth.
Negative
Seeking Alpha
3 weeks ago
Dividend Cut Alert: Big Dividends Getting Risky
High-yield stocks can be powerful income and total return generators. However, many of them are at risk of a dividend cut. We share two big dividends that are at risk of cutting their dividends in the near future.
Charts implemented using Lightweight Charts™