Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (MSDL) Expected to Announce Quarterly Earnings on Thursday

Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE:MSDL) is anticipated to issue its results after the market closes on Thursday, February 26th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $0.50 per share and revenue of $97.3020 million for the quarter.

Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund Price Performance

Shares of MSDL stock opened at $15.79 on Thursday. Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund has a 1 year low of $14.81 and a 1 year high of $21.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.45, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $16.41 and its 200-day moving average is $16.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.57 and a beta of 0.26.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of MSDL. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund by 53.2% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 155,232 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,098,000 after buying an additional 53,902 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its position in shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund by 682.5% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 198,684 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,966,000 after purchasing an additional 173,292 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its holdings in shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund by 83.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 26,180 shares of the company’s stock valued at $490,000 after purchasing an additional 11,923 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $118,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund by 35.3% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 50,500 shares of the company’s stock worth $945,000 after purchasing an additional 13,186 shares in the last quarter.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have commented on MSDL shares. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $16.00 price objective (down from $17.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $18.00 price target (down previously from $19.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Zacks Research upgraded Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund from $16.00 to $16.50 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund from $20.00 to $18.50 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $17.58.

About Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund

Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE: MSDL) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide investors with attractive current income and the potential for capital appreciation. The fund primarily invests in senior secured loans and other debt instruments issued by middle-market companies. By focusing on floating-rate structures, it aims to offer a measure of protection against rising interest rates while generating regular cash distributions.

The fund’s investment strategy centers on building a diversified portfolio of direct lending opportunities across a broad range of industries, including healthcare, business services, and industrials.