Runway Growth Finance Corp. Reports Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Runway Growth Finance Corp. (RWAY) reported record total investment income of $25.2 million and net investment income of $14.5 million for Q2 2022. The investment portfolio reached $807.7 million, reflecting a strategic growth approach. Core leverage ratio increased to 40.2%, and a dividend of $0.33 per share was declared, a 10% increase from the previous quarter. However, net change in unrealized depreciation on investments was $16.2 million, indicating challenges in equity valuations. Total operating expenses increased to $10.7 million.

Positive

• Total investment income rose 35% year-over-year to $25.2 million.
• Net investment income of $14.5 million or $0.35 per share maintained year-over-year.
• Investment portfolio grew to $807.7 million at fair value.
• Declared a 10% increase in quarterly dividend to $0.33.

Negative

• Net change in unrealized depreciation decreased portfolio value by $16.2 million.
• Total operating expenses increased by 44.5% year-over-year to $10.7 million.

Achieves Record Total and Net Investment Income of $25.2 and $14.5 Million, Respectively

Increases Core Leverage Ratio of Portfolio to 40%

Grows Investment Portfolio to Record $807.7 Million

Conference Call Today, Thursday, August 4 at 6:00 p.m. ET

WOODSIDE, Calif., Aug. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Runway Growth Finance Corp. (Nasdaq: RWAY) (“Runway Growth” or the “Company”), a leading provider of flexible capital solutions to late and growth-stage companies seeking an alternative to raising equity, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Second Quarter 2022 Highlights

• Total investment income of $25.2 million
• Net investment income of $14.5 million, or $0.35 per share
• Total investment portfolio of $807.7 million at fair value
• Net asset value of $14.14 per share
• Dollar-weighted annualized yield on debt investments of 15.1% for the quarter
• Nine investments completed totaling $200.0 million in new commitments including $151.7 million in funded loans
• Aggregate proceeds of $86.8 million received from principal repayments inclusive of interest, fees and proceeds from the exercise and sale of warrants
• Declared third quarter dividend of $0.33 per share, up 10% quarter over quarter
• Subsequent to quarter end, priced an offering of 7.50% notes due 2027 resulting in net proceeds of $78.1 million
  

“Runway Growth had another record quarter in which we grew our portfolio by executing against our credit-first, long-term strategy,” said David Spreng, Founder and CEO of Runway Growth. “We are well positioned to continue to prudently scale our portfolio in the second half of the year.”

Spreng continued, “We have the opportunity to capitalize on broader market dynamics and partner with best-in-class companies that are seeking non-dilutive capital. Runway is building a platform at the intersection of later-stage companies and lower-risk underwriting rigor. In volatile times, this focus on risk mitigation is our differentiator. We will continue to strategically deploy leverage and expand ROE to create value for both our shareholders and portfolio companies.”

Second Quarter 2022 Operating Results

Total investment income for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 was $25.2 million, compared to $18.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. The year-over-year improvement is primarily due to an increase in interest income on investments resulting from the new loans originated.

Net investment income for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 was $14.5 million, or $0.35 per share, compared to $11.3 million, or $0.35 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

The Company's dollar-weighted annualized yield on average debt investments for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 was 15.1%. The Company calculates the yield on dollar-weighted debt investments for any period measured as (1) total investment-related income during the period divided by (2) the daily average of the fair value of debt investments outstanding during the period.

Total operating expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 were $10.7 million, compared to $7.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. The increase was driven by an increase in management fees, incentive fees and interest expense, as well as expenses related to being a public company.

Net realized gain on investments for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 was $0.9 million, compared to a net realized loss of $4.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2022, net change in unrealized depreciation on investments was $16.2 million, compared to a net change in unrealized depreciation on investments of $0.03 million for the prior year period, due to the decline in value of our equity portfolio.

Portfolio and Investment Activity

As of June 30, 2022, Runway Growth’s investment portfolio had an aggregate fair value of approximately $807.7 million and was comprised of approximately $772.2 million in term loans, 98% senior secured, and $35.5 million in warrants and equity-related investments in 43 portfolio companies.

During the second quarter of 2022, Runway Growth originated nine investments totaling $200.0 million in commitments and $151.7 million in funded loans, including four investments in new portfolio companies and five new investments in existing portfolio companies.

Total portfolio investment activity for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 was as follows:

		Three Months Ended June 30,								Six Months Ended June 30,
		2022				2021				2022				2021
		(unaudited)				(unaudited)				(unaudited)				(unaudited)
Beginning Investment Portfolio		$	754,289,370			$	615,147,590			$	729,516,274			$	621,826,650
Purchases of Investments(1)			151,745,980				80,826,530				238,602,649				135,670,562
Purchases of U.S. Treasury Bills			—				29,999,885				—				54,999,849
Amortization of Fixed Income Premiums or Accretion of Discounts			746,463				1,489,265				3,571,075				3,660,438
Sales or Repayments of Investments			(76,915,188	)			(80,217,114	)			(86,793,259	)			(94,717,114	)
Scheduled Principal Payments of Investments			(6,842,105	)			—				(7,265,675	)			(2,066,437	)
Sales and Maturities of U.S. Treasury Bills			—				(24,999,979	)			(44,999,747	)			(94,999,162	)
Realized Gain (Loss) on Investments			903,722				(4,595,853	)			532,461				(4,813,280	)
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on Investments			(16,199,638	)			(33,281	)			(25,435,174	)			(1,944,463	)
Ending Investment Portfolio		$	807,728,604			$	617,617,043			$	807,728,604			$	617,617,043
1. Includes PIK interest.

Net Asset Value

As of June 30, 2022, NAV per share was $14.14, compared to $14.45 as of March 31, 2021. Total net assets at the end of the second quarter of 2022 were $579.4 million, compared to $597.5 million at the end of the prior period.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2022, net decrease in net assets resulting from operations was $0.8 million, or $0.02 per share, compared to a net increase of $6.7 million, or $0.21 per share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of June 30, 2022, the Company had approximately $123.8 million in available liquidity, including unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, and $117.0 million in available borrowing capacity under the Company’s credit facility, subject to existing terms, advance rates and regulatory and covenant requirements.

The Company ended the quarter with a core leverage ratio of approximately 40.2%, compared to 26.1% for the quarter ended March 31, 2022.

Distributions

On July 28, 2022, the Company’s board of directors declared a regular quarterly distribution of $0.33 per share for the third quarter of 2022, payable on August 23, 2022 to stockholders of record as of August 9, 2022. This dividend represents an increase of 10% over the dividend declared in the prior quarter.

Recent Developments

On April 20, 2022, the Company announced that it priced an underwritten public offering of $70 million aggregate principal amount of notes due 2027 (the “Notes”). The full overallotment option was exercised by underwriters and resulted in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $78.1 million after payment of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses payable by the Company related to this offering. The Company used the net proceeds from this offering to repay outstanding indebtedness under its Credit Agreement with KeyBank National Association (the “Credit Facility”). However, through re-borrowing of the initial repayments under the Credit Facility, the Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to make investments in accordance with its investment objective and strategies described in the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, to pay operating expenses and other cash obligations, and for general corporate purposes.

Conference Call
Runway Growth will hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2022 financial results at 3:00 p.m. PT (6:00 p.m. ET) on Thursday, August 4, 2022. To participate in the conference call or webcast, participants should register online at the Runway Investor Relations website. The earnings call can also be accessed through the following links:

• Conference Call
• Webcast

A live webcast will be available in the investor section of the Company’s website, and will be archived for 90 days following the call.

About Runway Growth Finance Corp.

Runway Growth is a growing specialty finance company focused on providing flexible capital solutions to late- and growth-stage companies seeking an alternative to raising equity. Runway Growth is a closed-end investment fund that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Runway Growth is externally managed by Runway Growth Capital LLC, an established registered investment advisor that was formed in 2015 and led by industry veteran David Spreng. For more information, please visit www.runwaygrowth.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the impact of COVID-19 and related changes in base interest rates and significant market volatility on our business, our portfolio companies, our industry and the global economy, as well as market volatility resulting from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the sanctions and other restrictive actions taken by the U.S. and other countries against Russia. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Runway Growth’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Runway Growth undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

IR Contacts:

Stefan Norbom, Prosek Partners, snorbom@prosek.com 

Thomas B. Raterman, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, tr@runwaygrowth.com 

Runway Growth Finance Corp.
Statements of Assets and Liabilities
		June 30, 2022				December 31, 2021
			(unaudited)
Assets
Investments at fair value:
Non-control/non-affiliate investments at fair value (cost of $805,247,907 and $647,448,895, respectively)		$	799,855,284			$	655,384,403
Affiliate investments at fair value (cost of $4,551,235 and $0, respectively)			2,352,019				—
Control investments at fair value (cost of $21,172,353 and $34,873,847, respectively)			5,521,301				29,130,371
Investment in U.S. Treasury Bills at fair value (cost of $0 and $45,001,250, respectively)			—				45,001,500
Total investments at fair value (cost of $830,971,495 and $727,323,992, respectively)			807,728,604				729,516,274
Cash and cash equivalents			6,809,818				4,696,693
Accrued interest receivable			3,419,067				2,368,680
Other accounts receivable			81,018				816,065
Prepaid and deferred expenses			401,909				949,768
Total assets			818,440,416				738,347,480
Liabilities
Debt:
Credit facilities			163,000,000				61,000,000
2026 Senior Notes			70,000,000				20,000,000
Deferred debt costs (net of accumulated amortization of $1,249,583 and $855,295, respectively)			(4,394,010	)			(1,511,540	)
Total debt, less unamortized deferred debt costs			228,605,990				79,488,460
Reverse repurchase agreement			—				44,774,963
Accrued incentive fees			7,415,334				6,010,250
Due to affiliate			184,759				221,243
Interest payable			1,030,660				249,247
Accrued expenses and other liabilities			1,791,669				1,408,826
Total liabilities			239,028,412				132,152,989
Net assets
Common stock, par value			413,806				413,806
Additional paid-in capital			606,063,671				606,047,671
Distributable (losses)			(21,786,236	)			(266,986	)
Treasury stock			(5,279,237	)			—
Total net assets		$	579,412,004			$	606,194,491
Shares of common stock outstanding ($0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)			40,967,122				41,380,614
Net asset value per share		$	14.14			$	14.65

Runway Growth Finance Corp.
Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)
		Three Months Ended June 30,								Six Months Ended June 30,
		2022				2021				2022				2021
Investment income
From non-control/non-affiliate investments:
Interest income		$	20,430,136			$	17,229,488			$	37,192,810			$	32,250,053
Payment in-kind interest income			1,042,832				1,045,527				2,049,065				1,989,558
Other income			75,448				126,678				265,433				240,970
Interest income from U.S. Treasury Bills			—				15				—				25
Dividend income			317,674				343,755				703,092				687,510
From affiliate investments:
Interest income			4,654				—				4,654				—
Payment in-kind interest income			6,689				—				96,291				—
Other income			8,311				—				8,311				—
From control investments:
Interest income			618,099				—				1,112,421				—
Payment in-kind interest income			2,654,039				—				2,984,450				—
Other income from non-investment sources			208				139				463				260
Total investment income			25,158,090				18,745,602				44,416,990				35,168,376
Operating expenses
Management fees			2,862,303				2,276,341				5,422,239				4,345,550
Incentive fees			3,621,139				2,836,303				4,965,135				3,812,007
Interest expense			1,609,132				761,815				2,482,617				1,489,730
Professional fees			888,114				498,913				1,247,921				820,505
Overhead allocation expense			218,294				208,736				455,266				406,119
Insurance expense			268,618				23,275				537,236				46,551
Administration fee			168,078				92,760				336,651				240,860
Debt financing fees			726,568				419,216				1,432,534				709,201
Directors’ fees			82,500				69,250				171,000				134,000
Tax expense			823				41				1,073				41
Other expenses			233,939				218,475				426,848				341,601
Total operating expenses			10,679,508				7,405,125				17,478,520				12,346,165
Net investment income			14,478,582				11,340,477				26,938,470				22,822,211
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
Realized gain (loss) on non-control/non-affiliate investments, including U.S. Treasury Bills			903,787				(4,595,853	)			532,526				(4,795,077	)
Realized gain (loss) on control investments			(65	)			—				(65	)			—
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on non-control/non-affiliate investments, including U.S. Treasury Bills			(8,164,496	)			(1,683,287	)			(12,319,165	)			(4,121,553	)
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on affiliate investments			(42,674	)			—				(3,208,433	)			—
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on control investments			(7,992,468	)			1,650,006				(9,907,576	)			2,177,090
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments			(15,295,916	)			(4,629,134	)			(24,902,713	)			(6,739,540	)
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations		$	(817,334	)		$	6,711,343			$	2,035,757			$	16,082,671
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations per common share		$	(0.02	)		$	0.21			$	0.05			$	0.50
Net investment income per common share		$	0.35			$	0.35			$	0.65			$	0.71
Weighted-average shares outstanding			41,215,664				32,396,396				41,294,985				31,953,287

FAQ

What were Runway Growth's earnings for Q2 2022?

Runway Growth reported total investment income of $25.2 million and net investment income of $14.5 million.

What is the dividend declared by Runway Growth for Q3 2022?

The dividend declared for Q3 2022 is $0.33 per share, representing a 10% increase from the previous quarter.

How did Runway Growth's investment portfolio perform in Q2 2022?

The investment portfolio reached a record $807.7 million, indicating strategic growth despite some unrealized depreciation.

What is Runway Growth's core leverage ratio as of June 30, 2022?

The core leverage ratio increased to approximately 40.2%.