Top 5 Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015

Top 5 Diversified Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015: Fifth Street Finance Corp (FSC)

Fifth Street Finance Corp. is a specialty finance company that lends to and invests in small and mid-sized companies in connection with investments by private equity sponsors. The Company's investment objective is to maximize its portfolio's total return by generating current income from its debt investments and capital appreciation from its equity investments. As of September 30, 2011, 90.9% of its portfolio consisted of debt investments that were secured by first or second priority liens on the assets of its portfolio companies. As of September 30, 2011, it held equity investments consisting of common stock, preferred stock or other equity interests in 27 out of 65 portfolio companies. It is managed and advised by Fifth Street Management LLC. In June 2013, Fifth Street Finance Corp. announced that it has closed its portfolio company acquisition of Healthcare Finance Group, LLC (HFG).

Investments

The Company tailors the terms of its debt invest ments to the facts and circumstances of the transaction and prospective portfolio company. As of September 30, 2011, it directly originated a majority of its debt investments. It is focusing its origination efforts on first lien, second lien and subordinated loans. Its first lien loans have terms of four to six years, provide for a variable or fixed interest rate, contain prepayment penalties and are secured by a first priority security interest in all existing and future assets of the borrower. Its first lien loans may take many forms, including revolving lines of credit, term loans and acquisition lines of credit. Its second lien loans have terms of four to six years, provide for a fixed interest rate, contain prepayment penalties and are secured by a second priority security interest in all existing and future assets of the borrower. Its second lien! loans often include payment-in-kind (PIK), interest, which represents contractual interest accrued and added to the principa l that generally becomes due at maturity. Its unsecured inve! stments have terms of five to six years and provide for a fixed interest rate. It may make unsecured investments on a stand-alone basis, or in connection with a senior secured loan, a junior secured loan or a one-stop financing. Its unsecured investments may include payment-in-kind (PIK), interest, which represents contractual interest accrued and added to the principal that becomes due at maturity, and an equity component, such as warrants to purchase common stock in the portfolio company.

In addition, the Company from time to time non-control, equity co-investments in connection with private equity sponsors. It structures equity investments, such as direct equity co-investments, to provide the Company with minority rights provisions and event-driven put rights. The Company make investments in the private equity funds of certain of its equity sponsors. It makes these investments where it has a long term relationship and is comfortable with the sponsor's busin ess model and investment strategy. As of September 30, 2011, it had investments in six private equity funds, which represented less than 1% of the fair value of its assets as of such date.

Portfolio Management

As a business development company, the Company offers managerial assistance to its portfolio companies and to provide it if requested. It monitors the financial trends of each portfolio company to assess the appropriate course of action for each company and to evaluate overall portfolio quality. It has several methods of evaluating and monitoring the performance of its investments, which includes review of monthly and quarterly financial statements and financial projections for portfolio companies; periodic and regular contact with portfolio company management; attendance at board meetings; periodic formal update ! interview! s with portfolio company management, and assessment of business development, including product development, profitability a nd the portfolio company's overall adherence to its busine! ss plan.

In addition to various risk management and monitoring tools, the Company uses an investment rating system to characterize and monitor the credit profile and expected level of returns on each investment in itd portfolio. It uses a five-level numeric rating scale. In the event that it determines that an investment is underperforming, or circumstances suggest that the risk associated with a particular investment has significantly increased, it monitors the effected portfolio company.

Valuation of Portfolio Investments

As a business development company, the Company invests in illiquid securities, including debt and equity investments of small and mid-sized companies. The Company perform valuations of its debt and equity investments on an individual basis, using market, income, and bond yield approaches as appropriate. Under the market approach, it estimates the enterprise value of the portfolio companies, in which it invests. To estimate th e enterprise value of a portfolio company, it analyze various factors, including the portfolio company's historical and projected financial results. It requires portfolio companies to provide annual audited and quarterly and monthly unaudited financial statements, as well as annual projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

Under the income approach, the Company prepares and analyze discounted cash flow models based on projections of the future free cash flows of the business. Under the bond yield approach, it uses bond yield models to determine the present value of the future cash flow streams of its debt investments. It reviews various sources of transactional data, including private mergers and acquisitions involving debt investments with similar characteristics, and assess the information in the valuation process.

! Advis! ors' Opinion:

• [By Eddie Staley]

  Fifth Street Finance (NASDAQ: FSC) shares were also up, gaining 0.70 percent to $10.04 after the company lifted its monthly dividend by 10% to 9.17 cents per share versus 8.33 cents per share.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Fifth Street Finance (NASDAQ: FSC) shares were also up, gaining 1.20 percent to $10.09 after the company lifted its monthly dividend by 10% to 9.17 cents per share versus 8.33 cents per share.

• [By Jordan Wathen]

  Its recent filing is for five-year unsecured debt. Other BDCs with investment-grade ratings have found good reception for five-year, unsecured note issuances. Fifth Street Finance (NASDAQ: FSC  ) , a BDC with a BBB- rating from Standard & Poor's, raised $250 million in February at a 3.5% spread to five-year U.S. Treasury yields at the time. (It's worth pointing out that Fifth Street Finance's rating is one tier below FS Investment's BBB.)

• [By Matthew Frankel]

  Fifth Street Finance Corp. (NASDAQ: FSC  ) is a business development company (BDC) that mainly lends to and invests in small and medium-sized companies. Despite its diversity, stable monthly dividend payments, and excellent yield, shares are actually trading at very nice discount.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-diversified-bank-stocks-to-buy-for-2015.html