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Upturn AI SWOT - About
Equus Total Return Closed Fund (EQS)
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Upturn Advisory Summary
07/03/2025: EQS (1-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.
Upturn Star Rating
Not Recommended Performance
These Stocks/ETFs, based on Upturn Advisory, consistently fall short of market performance, signaling caution before investing.
Number of Analysts
0 Analysts rated it
Very few follow this stock; limited insights, higher-risk early investing.
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -20.45% | Avg. Invested days 26 | Today’s Advisory Consider higher Upturn Star rating |
Upturn Star Rating | Upturn Advisory Performance  2.0 | Stock Returns Performance  1.0 |
| Profits based on simulation | Last Close 07/03/2025 |
Key Highlights
Company Size Small-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 18.48M USD | Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price - |
Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price - | ||
Volume (30-day avg) - | Beta 0.69 | 52 Weeks Range 0.74 - 1.52 | Updated Date 06/29/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 0.74 - 1.52 | Updated Date 06/29/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) -0.91 |
Earnings Date
Report Date - | When - | Estimate - | Actual - |
Profitability
Profit Margin - | Operating Margin (TTM) -319.82% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) -2.95% | Return on Equity (TTM) -31.06% |
Valuation
Trailing PE - | Forward PE - | Enterprise Value 19402196 | Price to Sales(TTM) 13.9 |
Enterprise Value 19402196 | Price to Sales(TTM) 13.9 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 5.09 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA - | Shares Outstanding 13586200 | Shares Floating 4678670 |
Shares Outstanding 13586200 | Shares Floating 4678670 | ||
Percent Insiders 60.61 | Percent Institutions 1.09 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Equus Total Return Closed Fund
Company Overview
History and Background
Equus Total Return, Inc. (EQS) was founded in 1991 as a closed-end fund focusing on investments in small and medium-sized companies. It seeks capital appreciation and current income through debt and equity investments.
Core Business Areas
- Direct Investment: Investments in privately held companies, typically those undergoing growth, turnaround, or restructuring.
- Debt Investments: Providing debt financing to smaller companies, often through secured loans.
- Equity Investments: Making equity investments, including preferred stock and common stock, in a variety of industries.
Leadership and Structure
The company is led by its executive management team and overseen by a board of directors. The organizational structure is typical of a publicly traded investment fund.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Direct Investment in Private Companies: Equus invests directly in private companies. This investment can be any type of financial structure that drives the business toward growth. Market share data for direct investments varies greatly by the specific industries of the portfolio companies. Competitors include private equity firms and other closed-end funds like Gladstone Capital (GLAD).
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The closed-end fund industry is influenced by market interest rates, investor sentiment, and the overall economic environment. Demand for alternative investments drives interest in closed-end funds like Equus.
Positioning
Equus is positioned as a niche player specializing in small and medium-sized businesses, differentiating itself from larger private equity firms. Its advantage lies in its long history and specialized expertise in this market segment.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The TAM for private capital investments targeting small and mid-sized businesses is estimated to be in the billions of dollars annually. Equus' TAM is a fraction of the overall private capital market, focusing on the specific segment it targets.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Experienced management team
- Long operating history
- Niche focus on small and medium-sized businesses
- Access to deal flow
Weaknesses
- Small market capitalization
- Limited liquidity
- High operating expenses relative to assets under management
- Dependence on successful exits from investments
Opportunities
- Increasing demand for alternative investments
- Growth in the small and medium-sized business sector
- Potential for strategic acquisitions
- Leveraging expertise to launch new funds
Threats
- Economic downturns impacting portfolio companies
- Increased competition from private equity firms
- Changes in regulations affecting closed-end funds
- Interest rate hikes
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- GLAD
- PSEC
- TCPC
Competitive Landscape
Equus faces competition from larger, more established BDCs and private equity firms. It differentiates itself through its focus on smaller deals and its long-standing presence in the market. However, smaller size may limit its ability to compete on deal size and resources.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Historical growth data is not readily available for retrieval.
Future Projections: Future projections for Equus cannot be accurately produced with out the necessary data for processing.
Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives cannot be identified for Equus without an extensive search through press releases and SEC filings.
Summary
Equus Total Return, Inc. is a niche player focused on small and medium-sized businesses. Its strengths lie in its experience and niche focus, however it faces challenges due to its small size and dependence on successful exits. To improve, Equus should diversify its investments, lower operating costs and increase its market capitalization. The company should be watchful of changing regulation and economic downturns.
Peer Comparison
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- SEC Filings
- Company Website
- Yahoo Finance
- Bloomberg
Disclaimers:
The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Investment decisions should be based on thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. Market share estimates are approximations and may not reflect precise figures.
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 middle market 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 and $25 million with revenues between $5 million and $150 million with EBITDA between $2 million and $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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