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Equus Total Return Closed Fund (EQS)



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Upturn Advisory Summary
03/27/2025: EQS (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -36.44% | Avg. Invested days 30 | Today’s Advisory PASS |
Upturn Star Rating ![]() ![]() | Upturn Advisory Performance ![]() | Stock Returns Performance ![]() |
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Key Highlights
Company Size Small-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 13.72M USD | Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price - |
Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price - | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 2826 | Beta 1.05 | 52 Weeks Range 1.00 - 1.57 | Updated Date 04/2/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 1.00 - 1.57 | Updated Date 04/2/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) -0.51 |
Earnings Date
Report Date 2025-03-31 | When After Market | Estimate - | Actual - |
Profitability
Profit Margin - | Operating Margin (TTM) -185.63% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) -2.65% | Return on Equity (TTM) -16.18% |
Valuation
Trailing PE - | Forward PE - | Enterprise Value 67566032 | Price to Sales(TTM) 12.07 |
Enterprise Value 67566032 | Price to Sales(TTM) 12.07 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 5.09 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA - | Shares Outstanding 13586200 | Shares Floating 5351322 |
Shares Outstanding 13586200 | Shares Floating 5351322 | ||
Percent Insiders 61.29 | Percent Institutions 1.16 |
Analyst Ratings
Rating - | Target Price - | Buy - | Strong Buy - |
Buy - | Strong Buy - | ||
Hold - | Sell - | Strong Sell - | |
Strong Sell - |
Upturn AI SWOT
Equus Total Return Closed Fund
Company Overview
History and Background
Equus Total Return, Inc. (EQS) is a business development company (BDC) that focuses on providing capital to companies in various industries. It was founded in 1989 and has evolved from a holding company with various subsidiaries to an investment company primarily investing in private companies.
Core Business Areas
- Direct Investments: Equus invests directly in private companies, typically through debt or equity investments. These investments aim to generate current income and capital appreciation.
- Investment Management: Equus actively manages its portfolio of investments, providing strategic guidance and support to its portfolio companies.
Leadership and Structure
Equus Total Return is led by a board of directors and an executive management team. The company operates as a closed-end fund, meaning it has a fixed number of shares outstanding.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Private Equity Investments: Equus focuses on providing capital to private companies, which typically are unable to access public markets. The company focuses on providing growth capital. Competitors include other BDCs such as Ares Capital (ARCC), Main Street Capital (MAIN), and Prospect Capital (PSEC). Market share data is not publicly available on a per-deal basis.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The BDC industry is characterized by intense competition for deals, regulatory oversight, and sensitivity to economic conditions. BDCs play a crucial role in providing capital to small and medium-sized businesses that may struggle to access traditional financing.
Positioning
Equus Total Return is a smaller player in the BDC industry, distinguishing itself by its focus on specific investment strategies and industry sectors. Its competitive advantage is based on specialized industry expertise and ability to source unique investment opportunities.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The total addressable market for private credit is estimated to be in the trillions of dollars. Equus Total Return is positioned to capture a small portion of this TAM by focusing on specific niches within the private equity market.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Experienced Management Team
- Specialized Investment Strategy
- Long-term investment horizon
- Publicly traded providing access to more capital than private equity firms.
Weaknesses
- Small size relative to larger BDCs
- Concentrated portfolio
- High operating expense ratio relative to NAV
- Volatility due to mark-to-market accounting rules
Opportunities
- Growing demand for private capital
- Expansion into new industry sectors
- Increased investment activity in underserved markets
- Potential acquisitions of smaller BDCs
Threats
- Economic downturn affecting portfolio companies
- Increased competition from other BDCs and private equity firms
- Regulatory changes impacting the BDC industry
- Rising interest rates
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- ARCC
- MAIN
- PSEC
- TCPC
Competitive Landscape
Equus is a smaller player in the BDC industry, facing strong competition from larger and more established firms. Its smaller size and concentrated portfolio make it more vulnerable to market fluctuations and individual investment losses compared to its larger competitors.
Major Acquisitions
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Historical Growth requires real-time access to financial statements. As such, providing accurate numbers is not possible at this point in time.
Future Projections: Future Projections requires real-time access to financial statements. As such, providing accurate numbers is not possible at this point in time.
Recent Initiatives: Equus focuses on new investments and active management of its portfolio holdings.
Summary
Equus Total Return is a smaller BDC focused on private equity investments. While it has an experienced management team and a specialized investment strategy, its small size and concentrated portfolio pose risks. To strengthen it needs to expand its portfolio and raise more capital to compete with larger BDCs. External risks such as economic downturn and competition may affect the company's success.
Similar Companies

ARCC

Ares Capital Corporation



ARCC

Ares Capital Corporation

MAIN

Main Street Capital Corporation



MAIN

Main Street Capital Corporation

PSEC

Prospect Capital Corporation



PSEC

Prospect Capital Corporation

TCPC

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp



TCPC

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- SEC filings
- Company website
- Third-party financial data providers
Disclaimers:
The information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Financial data is subject to change and may not be completely accurate.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About Equus Total Return Closed Fund
Exchange NYSE | Headquaters Houston, TX, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 1992-09-11 | CEO & Director Mr. John A. Hardy | ||
Sector Financial Services | Industry Asset Management | Full time employees - | Website https://www.equuscap.com |
Full time employees - | Website https://www.equuscap.com |
Equus Total Return, Inc. is a business development company (BDC) specializing in leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, corporate partnerships/joint ventures, growth and expansion capital, acquisition financing, roll-up acquisition strategies, operational turnarounds, recapitalizations of existing businesses, special situations, equity and equity-oriented securities issued by privately owned companies, debt securities including subordinate debt, debt convertible into common or preferred stock, or debt combined with warrants and common and preferred stock, and preferred equity financing. It invests in small to mid-sized companies and acts as a lead investor. It invests in technology, telecommunication, financial services, natural resource and industrial manufacturing and services. It invests in companies engaged in the alternative energy, real estate, healthcare, education, e-learning, leisure and entertainment, and foreign investment sector in the United States, China, India, and Europe. It investments include common and preferred stock, debt convertible into common or preferred stock, debt combined with warrants and options, and other rights to acquire common or preferred stock. It seeks to invest in companies between $1 million to $25 million with revenues between $5 million and $150 million with EBITDA between $2 million to $50 million. It seeks to take control and non-control equity positions. Equus Total Return, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is based in Houston, Texas with additional office in Vancouver, Canada.
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