SEC Filing | Great Elm Capital Corp.

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10-Q

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2023

 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File Number: 814-01211

Great Elm Capital Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Maryland		81-2621577
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

800 South Street, Suite 230, Waltham, MA		02453
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (617) 375-3006

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share	GECC	Nasdaq Global Market
6.75% Notes due 2025	GECCM	Nasdaq Global Market
5.875% Notes due 2026	GECCO	Nasdaq Global Market
8.75% Notes due 2028	GECCZ	Nasdaq Global Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.


Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☒	Smaller reporting company	☐
		Emerging growth company	☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes  No ☒

As of October 26, 2023, the registrant had 7,601,958 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, outstanding.

Table of Contents


		Page
PART I.	FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.	Financial Statements	2
Item 2.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	3
Item 3.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	15
Item 4.	Controls and Procedures	15
PART II.	OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1.	Legal Proceedings	16
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	16
Item 5.	Other Information	16
Item 6.	Exhibits	17
	Signatures	18
	Index to Consolidated Financial Statements	F-19
	Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities (unaudited)	F-20
	Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited)	F-21
	Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets (unaudited)	F-22
	Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)	F-23
	Consolidated Schedule of Investments (unaudited)	F-25
	Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements	F-47

PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to “GECC,” “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” and words of similar import are to Great Elm Capital Corp. and/or its subsidiaries. We reference materials on our website, www.greatelmcc.com, but nothing on our website shall be deemed incorporated by reference or otherwise contained in this report.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Some of the statements in this report (including in the following discussion) constitute forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or our future performance or financial conditions. The forward-looking statements contained in this report involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements concerning:

▪

our, or our portfolio companies’, future business, operations, operating results or prospects;

▪

the return or impact of current and future investments;

▪

the impact of a protracted decline in the liquidity of credit markets on our business;

▪

the impact of fluctuations in interest rates on our business;

▪

the impact of changes in laws or regulations governing our operations or the operations of our portfolio companies;

▪

our contractual arrangements and relationships with third parties;

▪

our current and future management structure;

▪

the general economy, including recessionary trends, and its impact on the industries in which we invest;

▪

the financial condition of and ability of our current and prospective portfolio companies to achieve their objectives;

▪

serious disruptions and catastrophic events;

▪

our expected financings and investments, including interest rate volatility;

▪

the adequacy of our financing resources and working capital;

▪

the ability of our investment adviser to locate suitable investments for us and to monitor and administer our investments;

▪

the timing of cash flows, if any, from the operations of our portfolio companies;

▪

the timing, form and amount of any dividend distributions;

▪

the valuation of any investments in portfolio companies, particularly those having no liquid trading market; and

▪

our ability to maintain our qualification as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) and as a business development company (“BDC”).

We use words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “plan” and similar words to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this report involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those implied or expressed in the forward-looking statements for any reason, including the factors set forth under “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” herein and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

We have based the forward-looking statements included in this report on information available to us on the date of this report, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Although we undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, you are advised to consult any additional disclosures that we may make directly to you or through reports that we have filed or in the future may file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Item 1. Financial Statements.

The financial statements listed in the index to consolidated financial statements immediately following the signature page to this report are incorporated herein by reference.

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Overview

We are a BDC that seeks to generate both current income and capital appreciation through debt and income-generating equity investments. To achieve our investment objective, we invest in secured and senior secured debt instruments of middle market companies that we believe offer sufficient downside protection and have the potential to generate attractive returns. We generally define middle market companies as companies with enterprise values between $100 million and $2 billion. We also make investments throughout other portions of a company’s capital structure, including subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, and equity or equity‑linked securities. We source these transactions directly with issuers and in the secondary markets through relationships with industry professionals.

On September 1, 2023, the Company contributed investments in certain of its operating company subsidiaries and other specialty finance assets to its wholly owned subsidiary, Great Elm Specialty Finance, LLC (“GESF”) in exchange for equity and subordinated indebtedness in GESF. In connection with this contribution, a strategic investor purchased approximately 12.5% of the equity interests and subordinated indebtedness in GESF. Through its subsidiaries, GESF provides a variety of financing options along a "continuum of lending" to middle-market borrowers including, receivables factoring, asset-based and asset-backed lending, lender finance, and equipment financing. GESF expects to generate both revenue and cost synergies across its specialty finance company subsidiaries.

On September 27, 2016, we and Great Elm Capital Management, Inc. (“GECM”), our external investment manager, entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) and an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), and we began to accrue obligations to our external investment manager under those agreements. On August 1, 2022, upon receiving our stockholders’ approval, we and GECM entered into an amendment to the Investment Management Agreement to reset the capital gains incentive fee to begin on April 1, 2022, which eliminated $163.2 million of realized and unrealized losses incurred prior to April 1, 2022 in calculating future incentive fees. In addition, the incentive fee based on income was amended to reset the mandatory deferral commencement date used in calculating deferred incentive fees to April 1, 2022. The Investment Management Agreement renews for successive annual periods, subject to requisite approvals from our board of directors (our “Board”) and/or stockholders.

We have elected to be treated as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a RIC, we will not be taxed on our income to the extent that we distribute such income each year and satisfy other applicable income tax requirements. To qualify as a RIC, we must, among other things, meet source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and annually distribute to our stockholders generally at least 90% of our investment company taxable income on a timely basis. If we qualify as a RIC, we generally will not have to pay corporate level taxes on any income that we distribute to our stockholders.

Investments

Our level of investment activity can and does vary substantially from period to period depending on many factors, including, among others, the amount of debt and equity capital available from other sources to middle-market companies, the level of merger and acquisition activity, pricing in the high yield and leveraged loan credit markets, our expectations of future investment opportunities, the general economic environment as well as the competitive environment for the types of investments we make.

As a BDC, our investments and the composition of our portfolio are required to comply with regulatory requirements.

Revenues

We generate revenue primarily from interest on the debt investments that we hold. We may also generate revenue from dividends on the equity investments that we hold, capital gains on the disposition of investments, and lease, fee, and other income. Our investments in fixed income instruments generally have an expected maturity of three to five years, although we have no lower or upper constraint on maturity. Our debt investments generally pay interest quarterly or semi-annually. Payments of principal of our debt investments may be amortized over the stated term of the investment, deferred for several years or due entirely at maturity. In some cases, our debt investments and preferred stock investments may defer payments of cash interest or dividends or payment-in-kind (“PIK”). In addition, we may generate revenue in the form of prepayment fees, commitment, origination, due diligence fees, end-of-term or exit fees, fees for providing significant managerial assistance, consulting fees and other investment-related income.

Expenses

Our primary operating expenses include the payment of a base management fee, administration fees (including the allocable portion of overhead under the Administration Agreement), and, depending on our operating results, an incentive fee. The base management fee and incentive fee remunerates GECM for work in identifying, evaluating, negotiating, closing and monitoring our investments. The Administration Agreement provides for reimbursement of costs and expenses incurred for office space rental, office equipment and utilities allocable to us under the Administration Agreement, as well as certain costs and expenses incurred relating to non-investment advisory, administrative or operating services provided by GECM or its affiliates to us. We also bear all other costs and expenses of our operations and transactions. In addition, our expenses include interest on our outstanding indebtedness.

Critical Accounting Policies

Valuation of Portfolio Investments

We value our portfolio investments at fair value based upon the principles and methods of valuation set forth in policies adopted by our Board. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Market participants are buyers and sellers in the principal (or most advantageous) market for the asset that (1) are independent of us; (2) are knowledgeable, having a reasonable understanding about the asset based on all available information (including information that might be obtained through due diligence efforts that are usual and customary); (3) are able to transact for the asset; and (4) are willing to transact for the asset (that is, they are motivated but not forced or otherwise compelled to do so).

Investments for which market quotations are readily available are valued at such market quotations unless the quotations are deemed not to represent fair value. Debt and equity securities for which market quotations are not readily available or for which market quotations are deemed not to represent fair value, are valued at fair value using a valuation process consistent with our Board-approved policy.

Our Board approves in good faith the valuation of our portfolio as of the end of each quarter. Due to the inherent uncertainty and subjectivity of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of our investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a readily available market value existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values that we may ultimately realize. In addition, changes in the market environment and other events may impact the market quotations used to value some of our investments.

Those investments for which market quotations are not readily available or for which market quotations are deemed not to represent fair value are valued utilizing a market approach, an income approach, or both approaches, as appropriate. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets or liabilities (including a business). The income approach uses valuation techniques to convert future amounts (for example, cash flows or earnings) to a single present amount (discounted). The measurement is based on the value indicated by current market expectations about those future amounts. In following these approaches, the types of factors that we may take into account in determining the fair value of our investments include, as relevant and among other factors: available current market data, including relevant and applicable market trading and transaction comparables; applicable market yields and multiples, security covenants, call protection provisions, information rights and the nature and realizable value of any collateral, the portfolio company’s ability to make payments, its earnings and discounted cash flows, the markets in which the portfolio company does business, comparisons of financial ratios of peer companies that are public, and merger and acquisition comparables; and enterprise values.

We prefer the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs in our valuation process. Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of us. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect our assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

Both observable and unobservable inputs are subject to some level of uncertainty and assumptions used bear the risk of change in the future. We utilize the best information available to us, including the factors listed above, in preparing the fair valuations. In determining the fair value of any individual investment, we may use multiple inputs or utilize more than one approach to calculate the fair value to assess the sensitivity to change and determine a reasonable range of fair value. In addition, our valuation procedures include an assessment of the current valuation as compared to the previous valuation for each investment and where differences are material understanding the primary drivers of those changes, incorporating updates to our current valuation inputs and approaches as appropriate.

Revenue Recognition

Interest and dividend income, including PIK income, is recorded on an accrual basis. Origination, structuring, closing, commitment and other upfront fees, including original issue discounts (“OID”), earned with respect to capital commitments are generally amortized or accreted into interest income over the life of the respective debt investment, as are end-of-term or exit fees receivable upon repayment of a debt investment if such fees are fixed in nature. Other fees, including certain amendment fees, prepayment fees and commitment fees on broken deals, and end-of-term or exit fees that have a contingency feature or are variable in nature are recognized as earned. Prepayment fees and similar income due upon the early repayment of a loan or debt security are recognized when earned and are included in interest income.

We may purchase debt investments at a discount to their face value. Discounts on the acquisition of corporate debt instruments are generally amortized using the effective-interest or constant-yield method unless there are material questions as to collectability.

We assess the outstanding accrued income receivables for collectability at least quarterly, or more frequently if there is an event that indicates the underlying portfolio company may not be able to make the expected payments. If it is determined that amounts are not likely to be paid we may establish a reserve against or reverse the income and put the investment on non-accrual status.

Net Realized Gains (Losses) and Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

We measure realized gains or losses by the difference between the net proceeds from the repayment or sale of an investment and the amortized cost basis of the investment, without regard to unrealized appreciation or depreciation previously recognized. Realized gains and losses are computed using the specific identification method.

Net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation reflects the net change in portfolio investment fair values and portfolio investment cost bases during the reporting period, including the reversal of previously recorded unrealized appreciation or depreciation when gains or losses are realized.

Portfolio and Investment Activity

The following is a summary of our investment activity for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the nine months ended September 30, 2023:


(in thousands)	Acquisitions(1)		Dispositions(2)			Weighted Average Yield End of Period(3)
Quarter ended March 31, 2022	$	27,578	$	(29,723	)		10.38	%
Quarter ended June 30, 2022		44,750		(34,014	)		10.27	%
Quarter ended September 30, 2022		40,212		(28,430	)		11.59	%
Quarter ended December 31, 2022		37,588		(20,461	)		12.43	%
For the Year Ended December 31, 2022		150,128		(112,628	)

Quarter ended March 31, 2023		53,293		(57,175	)		13.06	%
Quarter ended June 30, 2023		23,042		(15,975	)		13.47	%
Quarter ended September 30, 2023		80,915		(87,268	)		13.36	%
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023	$	157,250	$	(160,418	)

(1)

Includes new investments, additional fundings (inclusive of those on revolving credit facilities), refinancings and capitalized PIK income. Investments in short-term securities, including U.S. Treasury Bills and money market mutual funds, were excluded.

(2)

Includes scheduled principal payments, prepayments, sales, and repayments (inclusive of those on revolving credit facilities). Investments in short-term securities, including U.S. Treasury Bills and money market mutual funds, were excluded.

(3)

Weighted average yield is based upon the stated coupon rate and fair value of outstanding debt securities at the measurement date. Debt securities on non-accrual status are included in the calculation and are treated as having 0% as their applicable interest rate for purposes of this calculation, unless such debt securities are valued at zero.

Portfolio Reconciliation

The following is a reconciliation of the investment portfolio for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2022. Investments in short-term securities, including U.S. Treasury Bills and money market mutual funds, are excluded from the table below.


(in thousands)	For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023			For the Year Ended December 31, 2022
Beginning Investment Portfolio, at fair value	$	224,957		$	212,149
Portfolio Investments acquired(1)		157,250			150,128
Amortization of premium and accretion of discount, net		1,726			1,328
Portfolio Investments repaid or sold(2)		(160,418	)		(112,628	)
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments		11,287			100,016
Net realized gain (loss) on investments		573			(126,036	)
Ending Investment Portfolio, at fair value	$	235,375		$	224,957

(1)

Includes new investments, additional fundings (inclusive of those on revolving credit facilities), refinancings, and capitalized PIK income.

(2)

Includes scheduled principal payments, prepayments, sales, and repayments (inclusive of those on revolving credit facilities).

Portfolio Classification

The following table shows the fair value of our portfolio of investments by industry as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 (in thousands):


	September 30, 2023					December 31, 2022
Industry	Investments at Fair Value		Percentage of Fair Value			Investments at Fair Value		Percentage of Fair Value
Specialty Finance	$	52,121		22.14	%	$	58,250		25.89	%
Chemicals		27,192		11.55	%		31,702		14.09	%
Insurance		17,150		7.28	%		2,340		1.04	%
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing		16,675		7.08	%		11,803		5.25	%
Shipping		13,819		5.87	%		7,206		3.20	%
Internet Media		13,490		5.73	%		12,247		5.44	%
Oil & Gas Exploration & Production		12,582		5.35	%		15,136		6.74	%
Metals & Mining		10,794		4.59	%		6,046		2.69	%
Energy Services		9,742		4.14	%		2,877		1.28	%
Consumer Products		9,722		4.13	%		8,413		3.74	%
Food & Staples		8,301		3.53	%		3,660		1.63	%
Casinos & Gaming		7,332