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1. Company Snapshot

1.a. Company Description

CION Investment Corporation is a business development company.It specializes in investments in senior secured loans, including unitranche loans, First Lien, second lien loans, long-term subordinated loans, and mezzanine loans; equity interests such as warrants or options; and corporate bonds; and other debt securities in middle-market companies.The firm invests in growth capital, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, market/product expansion, refinancing and recapitalization.


The fund also invests up to 30 percent of their assets opportunistically in other types of investments, including the securities of larger public companies and foreign securities.It also makes investments in the secondary loan market.The fund does not invest in start-up companies, turnaround situations, or companies with speculative business plans.


The fund prefers to invest in high tech industries, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, business services, media, chemicals, plastic, rubber, telecommunication, consumer services, advertising, printing and publishing, consumer goods, durables, diversified financials, and other industries.It also invests in homebuilding, restaurants, beverage and tobacco bars, broadcasting, distributors, Non-durable good distribution, food beverage and tobacco, energy, oil gas and consumables fuels, insurance, aerospace and defense, industrial machinery, paper and forest product machinery, information technology, metals and mining, and real estate.It primarily seeks to invest in the United States.


The fund seeks to invest between $5 million and $50 million in companies with an EBITDA between $25 million and $75 million with average targeted hold of $25 million.It also purchases minority interests in the form of common or preferred equity in the target companies, typically in conjunction with its debt investments or through a co-investment with a financial sponsor.The fund seeks to exit its investments through an initial public offering of common stock, a merger, a sale, or other recapitalization.

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1.b. Last Insights on CION

CION Investment Corporation's recent performance was positively driven by a new three-year $125 million loan agreement with UBS, reducing the credit spread on floating interest rates by 45 basis points. This agreement provides a more favorable financing structure, potentially reducing the company's borrowing costs and increasing its profitability. Additionally, the company declared a year-end special distribution of $0.05 per share, demonstrating its commitment to returning value to shareholders.

1.c. Company Highlights

2. CION Investment Corporation Delivers Strong Q3 Earnings

CION Investment Corporation reported a robust third quarter with net investment income of $0.74 per share, significantly beating analyst estimates of $0.35. The company's total investment income was $78.7 million, a 51% increase quarter-over-quarter, driven by higher interest income and transaction fees. Total operating expenses were $40.1 million, resulting in a net increase in the company's net asset value. The earnings per share (EPS) was driven by robust transaction activity and significant quarterly earnings.

Publication Date: Nov -23

📋 Highlights
  • Strong NII Growth:: Net investment income rose to $0.74 per share, driven by 51% QoQ increase in total investment income to $78.7M.
  • NAV Increase:: Net asset value climbed 2.5% to $14.86, fueled by equity portfolio fair value gains in Longview Power and Palmetto Solar.
  • Share Repurchases:: 330,000 shares repurchased at $9.86/share, reflecting confidence in undervaluation and liquidity strength.
  • Debt Optimization:: Net debt-to-equity ratio improved to 1.28x from 1.39x, with $1B+ in unencumbered assets enhancing flexibility.
  • Distribution Shift:: Base distribution of $0.36/share declared, with payment frequency changing to monthly starting January 2026.

Portfolio Performance

The company's portfolio performed well, with underlying LTM adjusted EBITDA growth trends in its portfolio companies remaining in the mid- to high single digits. Nonaccruals increased to 1.75% of the portfolio at fair value, driven by the addition of two new names to nonaccrual. CION's investment activity consisted of a co-lead investment in one new portfolio company and incremental add-on investments and secondary purchases in existing portfolio companies.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

CION ended the third quarter with a strong and flexible balance sheet, over $1 billion in unencumbered assets, and a solid liquidity position. The company's net debt-to-equity ratio decreased to 1.28x from 1.39x at the end of June. The weighted average yield on its debt and other income-producing investments was 10.9% at September 30.

Valuation and Outlook

With a P/E Ratio of 17.84 and a P/B Ratio of 23.98, the stock appears to be priced at a premium. Analysts estimate next year's revenue growth at -15.7%, which may put pressure on the stock's valuation. However, the company's decision to change the timing of paying base distributions to its shareholders from quarterly to monthly beginning in January 2026 may provide a boost to the stock. As Keith Franz explained, the $5 million of capitalized costs in the quarter was a unique event, and the company is expecting a more robust pipeline in the coming year, with increased activity and a pickup in M&A.

Distribution and Share Repurchase

CION declared a base distribution of $0.36 per share for the fourth quarter. The company repurchased approximately 330,000 shares at an average price of $9.86 per share during the quarter and has continued repurchasing shares in the fourth quarter. The Dividend Yield is 15.19%, which is attractive for income-seeking investors.

3. NewsRoom

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Head-To-Head Review: Main Street Capital (NYSE:MAIN) & CION Investment (NYSE:CION)

Dec -07

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Why I'm Parking 45% Of My BDC Capital In These 2 Names

Dec -02

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Don't Bury BDC Dividends Just Yet

Nov -17

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Top Stocks With Solid Shareholder Yield to Safeguard Your Portfolio

Nov -17

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Horizon Technology Finance (NASDAQ:HRZN) vs. CION Investment (NYSE:CION) Head-To-Head Comparison

Nov -15

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Surging Earnings Estimates Signal Upside for CION Investment Corporation (CION) Stock

Nov -14

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Seeking 15%+ Yields? Here Are 2 BDCs I'm Buying

Nov -14

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CION Investment Corporation (CION) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

Nov -06

4. Business Breakdown

4.a. Revenues by Country

4.b. Revenues by Segment

5. Expected revenues mid-term growth (10.50%)

6. Segments

Investment and Related Activities

Expected Growth: 10.5%

CION Investment Corporation's middle-market focus and diversified financing solutions drive growth, with increasing demand for alternative lending and private debt investments.

7. Detailed Products

Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

CION Investment Corporation's REIT segment focuses on investing in a diversified portfolio of commercial and residential properties, providing a steady income stream to investors.

Business Development Company (BDC)

CION Investment Corporation's BDC segment provides financing solutions to middle-market companies, offering a range of debt and equity investments.

Real Assets

CION Investment Corporation's Real Assets segment invests in infrastructure, energy, and natural resources, providing a hedge against inflation and diversification benefits.

Credit Strategies

CION Investment Corporation's Credit Strategies segment offers a range of credit-focused investment solutions, including corporate debt, structured credit, and distressed debt.

Equity Strategies

CION Investment Corporation's Equity Strategies segment provides a range of equity investment solutions, including long-only, long-short, and alternative equity strategies.

8. CION Investment Corporation's Porter Forces

Forces Ranking

Threat Of Substitutes

The threat of substitutes for CION Investment Corporation is moderate, as there are alternative investment options available to customers, but the company's diversified portfolio and strong brand reputation help to mitigate this threat.

Bargaining Power Of Customers

The bargaining power of customers is low, as CION Investment Corporation's customers are primarily institutional investors who have limited negotiating power.

Bargaining Power Of Suppliers

The bargaining power of suppliers is moderate, as CION Investment Corporation relies on a diverse range of suppliers for its investment products and services.

Threat Of New Entrants

The threat of new entrants is high, as the investment management industry is highly competitive and new entrants can easily enter the market with innovative products and services.

Intensity Of Rivalry

The intensity of rivalry is high, as CION Investment Corporation operates in a highly competitive industry with many established players, and the company must continually innovate and differentiate itself to maintain its market position.

9. SWOT Analysis

10. Capital Structure

10.a. Balance Sheet

10.b. Weighted Average Cost of capital

Value
Debt Weight 55.15%
Debt Cost 7.90%
Equity Weight 44.85%
Equity Cost 9.69%
WACC 8.71%
Leverage 122.98%

11. Quality Control: CION Investment Corporation passed 4 out of 9 key points

12.a Historical Valuation

12.b Price/Earnings Ratio

12.c Margin Valuation

12.d Peers Valuation

Peers Group Analysis

Stock-Card
ArrowMark Financial

A-Score: 7.9/10

Value: 5.7

Growth: 6.3

Quality: 8.1

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 7.5

Volatility: 10.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
General American Investors Company

A-Score: 7.2/10

Value: 5.3

Growth: 2.8

Quality: 8.9

Yield: 9.0

Momentum: 7.0

Volatility: 10.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Sixth Street Specialty Lending

A-Score: 6.9/10

Value: 5.2

Growth: 4.3

Quality: 6.5

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 6.0

Volatility: 9.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Carlyle Secured Lending

A-Score: 6.6/10

Value: 5.7

Growth: 7.1

Quality: 6.1

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 1.0

Volatility: 9.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
CION Investment

A-Score: 5.8/10

Value: 4.4

Growth: 4.9

Quality: 4.7

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 2.0

Volatility: 9.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Oxford Square Capital

A-Score: 5.2/10

Value: 6.4

Growth: 3.9

Quality: 3.3

Yield: 10.0

Momentum: 0.0

Volatility: 7.7

1-Year Total Return ->

Peers Metrics

12.e Scoring Insights

12.f DCF BETA

Parameters

Short Term Growth

Short term Time

Long-Term Growth

WACC

Target Price

9.94$

Current Price

9.95$

Potential

-0.00%

Expected Cash-Flows