New Mountain Finance Sells $477M in Assets Amid Private Credit Concerns
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy NMFC?
Source: seekingalpha
- Asset Sale Purpose: New Mountain Finance (NMFC) sold $477 million in assets at 94% fair value to “increase portfolio diversification, reduce PIK income, and enhance financial flexibility,” reflecting growing concerns over risks in the $1.8 trillion private credit market.
- Rising Market Risks: UBS Group warned that private credit default rates could rise to 15% in a worst-case scenario, up from a previous estimate of 13%, indicating that rapid and severe AI-driven disruptions may serve as a “clearer catalyst” for market unease.
- Peer Pressure: Blue Owl Capital (OWL) faced significant challenges after permanently restricting withdrawals from a $1.6 billion private credit vehicle and selling $1.4 billion in loans to pension funds and its own insurance company, resulting in a 28% drop in its stock price in 2026, which has also pressured peers like Ares, Blackstone, Apollo, and KKR.
- Declining Financial Performance: For the quarter ending December 31, NMFC's net asset value per share fell from $12.06 to $11.52, and the firm reduced its dividend from $0.32 to $0.25 per share, reflecting the impacts of rate cuts and credit spread compression.
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Analyst Views on NMFC
Wall Street analysts forecast NMFC stock price to rise
2 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Sell
Current: 8.090
Low
9.00
Averages
9.50
High
10.00
Current: 8.090
Low
9.00
Averages
9.50
High
10.00
About NMFC
New Mountain Finance Corporation is a business development company focused on providing direct lending solutions to United States middle market companies backed by private equity sponsors. Its investment objective is to generate current income and capital appreciation through the sourcing and origination of senior secured loans and select junior capital positions, to growing businesses in defensive industries that offer attractive risk-adjusted returns. It invests a significant portion of its portfolio in unitranche loans, which are loans that combine both senior and subordinated debt, generally in a first lien position. The Company invests in various sectors, such as software, business services, healthcare, education, investment funds (including investments in joint ventures), consumer services, education, distribution and logistics, financial services, packaging, and others. New Mountain Finance Advisers, L.L.C. is the investment adviser of the Company.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Asset Sale Purpose: New Mountain Finance (NMFC) sold $477 million in assets at 94% fair value to “increase portfolio diversification, reduce PIK income, and enhance financial flexibility,” reflecting growing concerns over risks in the $1.8 trillion private credit market.
- Rising Market Risks: UBS Group warned that private credit default rates could rise to 15% in a worst-case scenario, up from a previous estimate of 13%, indicating that rapid and severe AI-driven disruptions may serve as a “clearer catalyst” for market unease.
- Peer Pressure: Blue Owl Capital (OWL) faced significant challenges after permanently restricting withdrawals from a $1.6 billion private credit vehicle and selling $1.4 billion in loans to pension funds and its own insurance company, resulting in a 28% drop in its stock price in 2026, which has also pressured peers like Ares, Blackstone, Apollo, and KKR.
- Declining Financial Performance: For the quarter ending December 31, NMFC's net asset value per share fell from $12.06 to $11.52, and the firm reduced its dividend from $0.32 to $0.25 per share, reflecting the impacts of rate cuts and credit spread compression.
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- Stable Quarterly Dividend: New Mountain Finance declares a quarterly dividend of $0.32 per share, consistent with previous announcements, indicating the company's stable profitability and likely appealing to income-seeking investors.
- Attractive High Yield: The forward yield of 15.69% makes this dividend particularly appealing in the current market environment, potentially increasing investor interest in the stock and enhancing its price performance.
- Consistent Dividend Record: The company has now announced a dividend of $0.32 for five consecutive quarters, which not only boosts investor confidence but may also encourage long-term holders, further solidifying the company's market position.
- Asset Disposal Impact: Amid rising concerns in private credit, New Mountain Finance sold $477 million in assets at 94% of their value, which may impact liquidity in the short term but provides funding for future investments and dividends.
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- Net Investment Income: New Mountain Finance reported a Q4 net investment income of $0.32 per share, indicating pressure on earnings that could affect future dividend policies and investor confidence.
- Net Asset Value Decline: The company's net asset value per share decreased to $11.52 as of September 30, 2025, down from $12.06, reflecting a negative impact of market conditions on asset valuation.
- Market Competition Insight: In the high-yield bond market, New Mountain Finance's baby bonds are viewed as an attractive income solution, suggesting potential to draw investors seeking stable returns despite the overall income decline.
- Rating Downgrade Impact: The continuous slide in net asset value has led to a downgrade in market ratings for New Mountain Finance, which may weaken investor confidence in its future performance and subsequently affect stock price dynamics.
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- Earnings Announcement Schedule: New Mountain Finance is set to release its Q4 2023 earnings report on February 24 after market close, with consensus estimates predicting an EPS of $0.32 and revenue of $79.1 million, highlighting investor interest in the company's financial performance.
- Earnings Forecast Analysis: Over the past three months, EPS estimates have seen one upward revision with no downward adjustments, indicating analysts' optimistic outlook on the company's future profitability, which could positively influence its stock price.
- High-Yield Investment Opportunities: New Mountain Finance's baby bonds are viewed as an attractive high-yield income solution, potentially drawing in investors seeking stable cash flows, thereby strengthening the company's capital base.
- Market Competition Dynamics: In the competitive landscape between CEF CLOs and BDCs, New Mountain Finance faces pressure from other financial institutions, particularly Oxford Lane Capital, which may impact its market share and investor confidence.
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- Fund Size Achievement: New Mountain Capital announced the successful closing of its second non-control private equity fund, New Mountain Strategic Equity Fund II (SEF II), at $1.2 billion, exceeding its $1 billion hard cap due to strong investor demand.
- Investment Focus: SEF II will concentrate on minority investments in defensive growth sectors such as infrastructure services, life sciences, and advanced materials, aiming to drive business development and value creation through non-control transactions.
- Diverse Investor Base: The fund's investors include pensions, insurance companies, asset managers, endowments, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals, reflecting broad market confidence and recognition of New Mountain Capital's strategic approach.
- Asset Management Scale: New Mountain Capital currently manages approximately $60 billion in assets across private equity, strategic equity, credit, and net lease real estate funds, with a team of over 300 professionals, continuously enhancing its research and underwriting capabilities in defensive growth sectors.
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- Potential Asset Sale: New Mountain Finance is considering a $500 million sale of assets, which could significantly impact its operations.
- Market Implications: This move is seen as a critical test for the business-development company and the broader private credit market, valued at $1 trillion and currently facing scrutiny.
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