Monthly Dividend Stock In Focus: Oxford Square Capital – Sure Dividend

Up to date on September twelfth, 2024 by Felix Martinez

Buyers on the lookout for excessive yields would possibly contemplate shopping for shares of Enterprise Growth Corporations, or BDCs for brief. These shares continuously have the next dividend yield than the broader inventory market common.

Some BDCs even pay month-to-month dividends.

You’ll be able to obtain our full Excel spreadsheet of all month-to-month dividend shares (together with metrics that matter, like dividend yield and payout ratio) by clicking on the hyperlink beneath:

Oxford Sq. Capital Company (OXSQ) is a BDC that pays a month-to-month dividend. Oxford Sq. can be a really high-yielding inventory, with a yield of 14.5% primarily based on anticipated dividends for fiscal 2024. That is greater than 8 occasions the common yield of the S&P 500.

Nevertheless, buyers ought to all the time remember the fact that the sustainability of a dividend is simply as vital (or extra vital) than the yield itself.

BDCs usually present excessive ranges of revenue, however many (together with Oxford Sq.) have hassle sustaining their dividends, notably throughout recessions. This text will study the corporate’s enterprise, progress prospects and consider the security of the dividend.

Enterprise Overview

Oxford Sq. Capital Corp. is a BDC (Enterprise Growth Firm) specializing in financing early and center–stage companies via loans and CLOs. You’ll be able to see our full BDC checklist right here.

The corporate holds a well-diversified portfolio of First–Lien, Second–Lien, and CLO fairness property unfold throughout seven industries, with the best publicity in software program and enterprise companies, at 38.2% and 20.6%, respectively.

Supply: Investor presentation

On August thirteenth, 2024, Oxford Sq. introduced its Q2 outcomes for the interval ending June thirtieth, 2024. The corporate reported complete funding revenue of $11.4 million, a lower from $13.5 million within the earlier quarter. This decline was primarily attributable to decreased curiosity revenue from debt investments and decrease revenue from securitization automobiles.

The weighted common yield on debt investments dropped barely to 13.7% from 13.9% in Q1. Nevertheless, the money distribution yield on money income-producing CLO fairness investments elevated from 13.7% to 16.2%. The efficient yield on CLO fairness investments was 9.4%, down marginally from 9.5%.

Complete bills, primarily together with curiosity prices and administration charges, had been $3.7 million, $450,000 decrease than in Q1. Because of this, internet funding revenue (NII) rose by $1.2 million to $7.7 million, or $0.13 per share. The corporate’s internet asset worth (NAV) per share barely improved to $2.43 from $2.42. Primarily based on its present portfolio, Oxford Sq. tasks a full-year 2024 funding revenue per share (IIS) of $0.46.

Supply: Investor presentation

Development Prospects

The corporate’s funding revenue per share has been declining at an alarming charge, as financing has turn into cheaper, stopping Oxford Sq. from refinancing at its earlierly larger charges. Moreover, the corporate has been traditionally over–distributing dividends to shareholders, decaying its NAV, and subsequently future revenue technology, attributable to fewer property.

Contemplating that the Fed has made it clear that they intend to extend charges at the least as soon as extra this yr, we anticipate that Oxford Sq. will have the ability to generate secure funding revenue per share within the close to time period.

The 2020 dividend minimize ought to end in Oxford Sq. retaining some money, hopefully beginning to regrow its NAV. With charges unlikely to proceed moving any decrease, revenue technology ought to stabilize over the subsequent few years

With funding throughout a large breadth of various industries, Oxford Sq. has a reasonably balanced portfolio. The corporate’s high three industries do make up a lot of the portfolio, however they’re in numerous areas of the financial system. This provides some safety in case of a downturn in a single trade.

Nevertheless, with charges declining over time, the corporate’s receivables have been additional pressurized, worsening its financials yearly. General, we consider that the corporate’s future investment revenue technology carries substantial dangers, whereas a possible recession and an hostile financial atmosphere may severely harm its curiosity revenue.

Dividend Evaluation

Oxford Sq. solely just lately started paying a month-to-month dividend, with the primary being distributed in April 2019. Complete dividends paid over the previous few years are listed beneath:

2015 dividends: $1.14
2016 dividends: $1.16 (1.8% enhance)
2017 dividends: $0.80 (31% decline)
2018 dividends: $0.80 (no enhance)
2019 dividends: $0.80 (no enhance)
2020 dividends: $0.6120 (23.5% decline)
2021 dividends: $0.42 (31.4% decline)
2022 dividends: $0.42 (Flat)
2023 dividends: $0.54(28.5% enhance)

Shareholders obtained a small enhance in 2016, adopted by three giant dividend reductions since 2017. This inconsistency in dividend payout is because of the firm’s unstable monetary efficiency.

Oxford Sq. at the moment pays a month-to-month dividend of $0.035 per share, equaling an annualized payout of $0.42 per share. This might symbolize a lower in year-over-year efficiency for dividends in 2024.

Primarily based on a full-year payout of $0.46 per share, Oxford Sq. inventory yields 14.5%. Whereas the dividend cuts in recent times have been giant, the dividend yield stays very excessive. That stated, buyers mustn’t focus solely on yield; dividend security is a vital consideration for revenue buyers, and in that regard, Oxford Sq. leaves lots to be desired.

Utilizing our expectation for a full-year funding revenue per share of $0.46 for 2024, the corporate is projected to take care of a dividend payout ratio of 91% for 2024. Nevertheless, if funding revenue declines from present ranges, one other dividend minimize may consequence.

Remaining Ideas

Oxford Sq. has a strong enterprise mannequin, with diversification throughout funding property and industries. The corporate has additionally taken steps to construct up its much less dangerous asset place whereas lowering its reliance on riskier CLOs.

That stated, Certain Dividend recommends that risk-averse buyers keep away from Oxford Sq.. We consider that the dividend doesn’t provide sufficient security. The corporate distributes primarily all of its funding revenue, leaving little wiggle room. Any drops in funding revenue may end up in dividend cuts.

We echo these considerations and charge Oxford Sq. a Maintain.

Don’t miss the sources beneath for extra month-to-month dividend inventory investing analysis.

And see the sources beneath for extra compelling funding concepts for dividend progress shares and/or high-yield funding securities.