About SLR Investment Corp.

SLR Investment Corp. is a business development company specializing in secured debt (first lien unitranche and second lien), subordinated (unsecured) debt, minority equity, leveraged buyouts, acquisitions, recapitalizations, general refinancing, growth capital and strategic income-oriented control equity investments in leveraged middle market companies. The fund invests in aerospace and defense; air freight & logistics; asset management; automotive; banking; beverage, food and tobacco; building products; buildings and real estate; broadcasting and entertainment; cargo transport; commercial services and supplies; communications equipment; chemicals, plastics and rubber; containers, packaging and glass; construction & engineering; diversified/conglomerate manufacturing; consumer Finance; distributors; diversified/conglomerate services; diversified financial services; diversified real estate activities; food products; Footwear; Education Services; diversified telecommunications services; electronics; farming and agriculture; finance; grocery; health care equipment and supplies; health care facilities; education and childcare; home and office furnishing, durable consumer products; hotels, motels, inns and gaming; insurance; restaurants, leisure, amusement, and entertainment; leisure equipment tolls and services, media, multiline retail, multi sector holdings; paper and forest products; personal products; professional services, research and consulting services, software; specialty retail; textiles apparel and luxury goods, thrifts and mortgage finance, trading companies and distributors, utilities, and wireless telecommunication services; industrial conglomerates; internet software and services, IT services, machinery; mining, steel, iron, and non-precious metals; oil and gas; personal, food and miscellaneous services; printing and publishing; retail stores; telecommunications; textiles and leather; and utilities. It also invests in life sciences with focus on specialty pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotech, health Care Providers and services; health Care technology, enabling technologies and tools. The fund primarily invests in United States. The fund's investments generally range between $5 million and $100 million.

The fund invests in companies with revenues between $50 million and $1 billion and EBITDA between $15 million and $100 million. It invests in the form of senior secured loans, mezzanine loans, and equity securities. It may also seek investments in thinly traded public companies and also make secondary investments. The fund makes non-control equity investments. It primarily exits within three years of the initial capital commitment.

SLRC operates in the Financial | Financial Services | headquartered in Baltimore, New York | led by CEO Michael S. Gross.

---

## Investment Thesis SLR Investment Corp. (SLRC) currently ranks **#14** in our coverage universe of 3,571 U.S.-listed equities, with a composite score of **79.9/100**. This places the stock in our **"Strong Buy"** category based on our proprietary six-factor quantitative model. The bull case rests on three pillars: exceptional profitability (Quality score: 51/100), favorable market dynamics (Momentum: 79/100), and reasonable valuation relative to quality (Value: 93/100). Our model, built on 46 peer-reviewed academic studies, identifies these factor combinations as historically predictive of outperformance. The central question for investors: **Is SLRC's quality premium justified by its growth trajectory, or has the market already priced in perfection?** --- ## Company Overview SLR Investment Corp. operates in the **Financials** sector and has demonstrated modest revenue growth of 3.7% over the trailing twelve months. The company converts 60.5% of revenue into net income, a best-in-class margin profile. At $834M, SLRC is a mid-cap company with potential for significant growth but also higher volatility. --- ## Our Six-Factor Analysis Our proprietary model evaluates every stock across six factors, each backed by peer-reviewed academic research. Here's how SLRC scores: ### Quality Score: 51/100 ★★★ **What we measure:** Return on equity, return on assets, gross margin, net margin, earnings consistency, and accruals quality. SLRC generates a return on equity of **9.2%**, below average and an area for management focus. Net margin of **60.5%** is world-class and suggests significant competitive advantages. **Academic evidence:** Research by Novy-Marx (2013) demonstrates that quality stocks outperform by 4-6% annually over long periods, even after controlling for market beta. --- ### Value Score: 93/100 ★★★★★ **What we measure:** P/E, P/B, P/S, EV/EBITDA, and free cash flow yield relative to sector and historical norms. SLRC trades at **8.97x earnings**, a significant discount to the market, suggesting either value opportunity or fundamental concerns. Price-to-book of **0.84x** suggests the stock trades close to tangible asset value. **Academic evidence:** Fama and French (1992) established that value stocks (low P/B, P/E) outperform growth stocks by 3-5% annually, though this premium has compressed in recent years. --- ### Momentum Score: 79/100 ★★★★ **What we measure:** 12-month price momentum, revenue growth acceleration, earnings surprise frequency, and relative strength. Revenue growth of **3.7%** reflects mature market conditions. Our timing model assigns a score of **55.46115196078431/100** with a **Favorable** signal, suggesting neutral timing. **Academic evidence:** Jegadeesh and Titman (1993) documented that stocks with strong 6-12 month momentum continue to outperform over the subsequent 3-12 months, generating 1%+ monthly alpha. --- ### Investment Score: 99/100 ★★★★★ **What we measure:** Asset growth, capital expenditure intensity, acquisition activity, and capital allocation discipline. An investment score of 99/100 suggests SLRC is deploying capital effectively to drive future growth. **Academic evidence:** Titman, Wei, and Xie (2004) found that companies with high asset growth subsequently underperform, suggesting capital discipline matters. --- ### Stability Score: 82/100 ★★★★★ **What we measure:** Beta, earnings volatility, balance sheet strength, debt levels, and cash flow consistency. Beta of **0.61** indicates lower volatility than the market. Debt-to-equity of **1.1%** reflects a conservative capital structure with ample financial flexibility. **Academic evidence:** Low-volatility stocks have historically outperformed high-volatility stocks on a risk-adjusted basis—a phenomenon known as the "low-volatility anomaly" (Baker, Bradley, Wurgler 2011). --- ### Short Interest Score: 100/100 ★★★★★ **What we measure:** Days to cover, short interest as percentage of float, and short interest trend. A short interest score of 100/100 indicates limited bearish positioning. --- ## Economic Moat Assessment Based on our analysis of profitability metrics, competitive positioning, and sustainability of returns, we assess SLRC's economic moat as follows:

Moat Type	Switching Costs
Moat Width	Narrow
Uncertainty	Low

- Revenue stability indicates potential switching costs --- ## Fair Value Estimate We employ a reverse discounted cash flow methodology to estimate fair value, working backward from the current price to determine what growth assumptions are implied. ### Three-Scenario Analysis

Scenario	Implied Fair Value	Upside/Downside	Assumptions
Bear	$1.4B	+67.3%	Assumes 8% 5-year growth, 18x terminal P/E, 12% discount rate
Base	$2.5B	+205.0%	Assumes 12% 5-year growth, 25x terminal P/E, 10% discount rate
Bull	$4.4B	+430.4%	Assumes 18% 5-year growth, 32x terminal P/E, 9% discount rate

### Probability-Weighted Expected Return Assuming 20% bear, 50% base, and 30% bull probability weights: **Expected Return: 245.1%** --- ## Peer Comparison How does SLRC stack up against sector peers?

Company	BCR Score	P/E	ROE	Net Margin
SLRC (This Stock)	79.9	8.97	9.2%	60.5%
TRIN	80.2	7.94	14.6%	49.8%
SAR	79.8	1.35	43.6%	1.8%
BSAC	79.5	7.50	65.8%	36.4%
GAIN	79.3	5.66	8.4%	1.8%
DX	79.1	8.98	13.6%	7.8%

SLRC's score is competitive with sector peers. --- ## Risk Factors Every investment carries risk. Here are the key risks for SLRC: ### Valuation Risk ✅ LOW The current valuation provides reasonable downside protection. ### Competitive Risk ⚡ MODERATE Financial sector companies face regulatory risk, interest rate sensitivity, and competitive pressure from fintech disruption. ### Execution Risk ⚡ MODERATE The company has demonstrated reasonable operational stability. ### Macro Risk ⚡ MODERATE All equities are subject to macroeconomic conditions including interest rates, inflation, and economic growth. A recession could impact earnings regardless of company-specific quality. --- ## Financial Deep Dive ### Income Statement Analysis **Operating Margin: 61.8%** — Best-in-class operational efficiency. **Net Margin: 60.5%** — World-class profitability. ### Balance Sheet Analysis **Debt-to-Equity: 1.1%** — Conservative leverage with ample financial flexibility. **Return on Equity: 9.2%** — Below-average ROE suggests capital efficiency concerns. ### Cash Flow Indicators **Revenue Growth: 3.7%** — Slow growth in established markets. --- ## Investment Decision Framework ### Who Should Buy SLRC? ✅ **Long-term investors** seeking quality exposure ✅ **Factor investors** targeting quality and momentum ✅ **Portfolio builders** needing Financials sector exposure ✅ **Income investors** seeking dividend yield ### Who Should Avoid SLRC? ❌ **Deep value investors** seeking bargain prices ❌ **Short-term traders** seeking high volatility ### Position Sizing Recommendation Based on our factor profile and risk assessment: | Portfolio Size | Suggested SLRC Weight | |----------------|---------------------------| | $10,000 | $800 - $1,200 | | $100,000 | $8,000 - $12,000 | | $1,000,000 | $80,000 - $120,000 | --- ## The Bottom Line SLR Investment Corp. represents **a compelling investment opportunity** based on our six-factor quantitative analysis. The company's quality metrics have room for improvement, while its valuation offers attractive entry point. Our fair value analysis suggests **upside potential of 205%** under base-case assumptions, with probability-weighted expected returns of **245%**. We recommend accumulation, particularly on any pullbacks that improve the risk-reward profile. ---

--- ## Methodology Disclosure This analysis is based on the Blank Capital Research six-factor quantitative model, which evaluates securities across Quality, Value, Momentum, Investment, Stability, and Short Interest factors. Factor weights are derived from 46 peer-reviewed academic studies and calibrated to current market conditions. Our fair value estimates employ reverse discounted cash flow analysis, working backward from market price to implied growth assumptions. This methodology is inherently uncertain and should be considered as one input among many in investment decisions. --- *This report was generated on Monday, February 16, 2026. The analysis reflects data as of that date. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is not investment advice. Blank Capital Research may hold positions in securities mentioned.*