Gladstone Capital Corporation functions as a Business Development Company (BDC) primarily focused on the lower middle market in the United States. The firm engages in a variety of investment strategies, including providing growth capital, supporting add-on acquisitions, facilitating change-of-control transactions, executing buy-and-build models, and refinancing existing debt. It also makes private equity investments in the form of acquisitions, buyouts, recapitalizations, and refinancing. Its debt offerings are extensive, encompassing senior term loans, revolving credit facilities, secured first and second lien term loans, senior subordinated loans, unitranche facilities, junior subordinated loans, and mezzanine financing. For equity, Gladstone Capital invests through common stock, preferred stock, limited liability company (LLC) interests, and warrants, generally preferring to acquire minority stakes. The company targets small and medium-sized enterprises with annual sales ranging from $20 million to $150 million and EBITDA between $3 million and $25 million, typically investing $7 million to $30 million per company. While maintaining an industry-agnostic approach, it shows particular interest in sectors such as business services, specialized manufacturing, niche industrial products and services, unique consumer products and services, energy services, transportation and logistics, healthcare and educational services, specialty chemicals, media and communications, and aerospace and defense. The fund plans to exit its investments through strategic sales to industry participants or financial buyers, initial public offerings (IPOs), or other capital market transactions.
