Gladstone Capital combines a solid earnings beat streak, strong margins, and a Rule of 40 pass with a technical breakout, but the position has already reached its analyst target, leaving the engine's asymmetry gate in negative territory.
Thesis pillars
- Strong Earnings Beat Streak→Stable
- Strong Margins Rule Of 40 Pass→Stable
- Negative Asymmetry Target Reached→Stable
- +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning
Gladstone Capital Corporation (GLAD) Stock Analysis
Breakout setup · Catalyst-Driven edge
Financial Services · Asset Management
Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $19.40, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reason: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining.
Gladstone Capital Corporation is an externally managed business development company that invests in secured first- and second-lien debt and equity of lower middle-market U.S. companies (generally $3-25 million EBITDA). As of September 30, 2025, the portfolio comprised $859.1... Read more
Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $19.40, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reason: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining. Chart setup: Golden cross, above all MAs, RSI 54, MACD bullish. Maintain position. Not compelling to add more. Score 6.7/10, moderate confidence.
Passes 6/8 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, news events none recent, earnings proximity 27d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: aggressive.
About Gladstone Capital Corporation
About Gladstone Capital Corporation
Gladstone Capital Corporation held a $859.1 million investment portfolio across 55 lower middle-market companies as of September 30, 2025, concentrated in the South (33.5% of fair value) and in Healthcare, Education, and Childcare (31.8%), with the five largest investments accounting for 22.9% of the total. Regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and taxed as a regulated investment company, Gladstone Capital is externally managed by an adviser affiliated with chairman and CEO David Gladstone, which also advises publicly traded affiliates Gladstone Investment, Gladstone Commercial, and Gladstone Land.
Gladstone Capital earns income primarily from interest on secured first-lien (73.7% of the debt book at cost) and second-lien loans to companies with $3 million to $25 million of EBITDA, supplemented by success fees, payment-in-kind interest, and gains on the preferred and common equity stakes -- about 9.1% of the portfolio at cost -- that it often takes alongside its debt investments. The company funds its lending book with a mix of publicly traded 3.75% notes due 2027, 5.875% convertible notes due 2030, and 6.25% Series A preferred stock, and it co-invests alongside affiliated funds Gladstone Investment and Gladstone Alternative Income Fund under an SEC exemptive order that was updated in September 2025 to loosen board-approval requirements for shared deals. Since its 2001 initial public offering, Gladstone Capital has invested in approximately 292 different companies, sourced through a referral network of private equity sponsors, private credit managers, and investment bankers rather than a direct origination sales force.
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Gladstone Capital's portfolio construction concentrates risk by industry more than by single borrower: no individual disclosure names a borrower above the 22.9% combined share of the five largest investments, but Healthcare, Education, and Childcare alone -- expanded from just 12.8% of the portfolio a year earlier to 31.8% at fair value in fiscal 2025 -- now exceeds the 30% threshold at which a single-industry allocation becomes a structural rather than incidental exposure. That shift coincided with Aerospace and Defense collapsing from 19.2% of the portfolio to just 0.1%, evidence that Gladstone Capital's industry mix can swing sharply within a single fiscal year based on individual exits and originations rather than a steady-state allocation policy.
See also: Financial Services · Asset Management
From Gladstone Capital Corporation's most recent 10-K filing, extracted July 6, 2026.
Upcoming dated catalysts
Thesis
Key Metrics
Quality Signals
Options Flow
Concentration Risks(10-K Item 1A)
- LOWCustomerfive largest investments23%10-K Item 1: 'The five largest investments at fair value as of September 30, 2025, totaled $196.5 million, or 22.9% of our total investment portfolio.'
- MEDIUMloan_portfolioHealthcare, Education, and Childcare32%10-K Item 1: 'Healthcare, Education, and Childcare| | $| 273,262 | | | 31.8 | %'
- MEDIUMGeographicSouth (U.S. region)34%10-K Item 1: 'South| | $| 287,371 | | | 33.5 | %'
Material Events(8-K, last 90d)
- 2026-06-02Item 5.02LOWOn June 1, 2026, the Board elected George "Chip" Stelljes, III as an independent director (2028 class), appointing him to the Compensation, Ethics/Nominating/Corporate Governance, and Valuation Committees.SEC filing →
Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
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Rating Breakdown
1 floor-breaker·1 ceiling hit
Technicals below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static
Price Targets
Position Sizing
Risk Alerts
Earnings
Verdict History
Frequently Asked Questions
Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $19.40, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reason: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining. Chart setup: Golden cross, above all MAs, RSI 54, MACD bullish. Maintain position. Not compelling to add more. Target $19.50 (+0.5%), stop $18.52 (−4.8%), A.R:R -0.6:1. Score 6.7/10, moderate confidence.
Take-profit target: $19.50 (+0.5% upside). Target $19.50 (+0.5%), stop $18.52 (−4.8%), A.R:R -0.6:1. Stop-loss: $18.52.
Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining.
Gladstone Capital Corporation trades at a P/E of 10.5 (forward 10.2). TrendMatrix value score: 7.9/10. Verdict: Hold.
12 analysts cover GLAD with a consensus score of 4.0/5. Average price target: $22.
What does Gladstone Capital Corporation do?Gladstone Capital Corporation is an externally managed business development company that invests in secured first- and...
Gladstone Capital Corporation is an externally managed business development company that invests in secured first- and second-lien debt and equity of lower middle-market U.S. companies (generally $3-25 million EBITDA). As of September 30, 2025, the portfolio comprised $859.1 million in fair value across 55 companies in 22 states and 16 industries, with Healthcare, Education, and Childcare the largest industry exposure at 31.8% and the five largest investments representing 22.9% of the portfolio.