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Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (MSDL)


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Upturn Advisory Summary
10/15/2025: MSDL (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.
1 Year Target Price $18.14
1 Year Target Price $18.14
0 | Strong Buy |
1 | Buy |
5 | Hold |
0 | Sell |
0 | Strong Sell |
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -1.43% | Avg. Invested days 58 | 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 1.45B USD | Price to earnings Ratio 8.68 | 1Y Target Price 18.14 |
Price to earnings Ratio 8.68 | 1Y Target Price 18.14 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 6 | Beta - | 52 Weeks Range 15.70 - 20.05 | Updated Date 10/17/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 15.70 - 20.05 | Updated Date 10/17/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) 1.93 |
Earnings Date
Report Date - | When - | Estimate - | Actual - |
Profitability
Profit Margin - | Operating Margin (TTM) - |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) - | Return on Equity (TTM) - |
Valuation
Trailing PE 8.68 | Forward PE 8.56 | Enterprise Value - | Price to Sales(TTM) 8.41 |
Enterprise Value - | Price to Sales(TTM) 8.41 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 20.17 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA - | Shares Outstanding 86835012 | Shares Floating - |
Shares Outstanding 86835012 | Shares Floating - | ||
Percent Insiders 0.24 | Percent Institutions 21.42 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund

Company Overview
History and Background
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (MSDL) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that primarily invests in direct lending opportunities. Established to provide investors access to privately originated, senior secured loans to middle-market companies.
Core Business Areas
- Direct Lending: Focuses on originating and investing in senior secured loans to middle-market companies, providing debt financing for acquisitions, growth capital, and recapitalizations.
Leadership and Structure
Information on the specific leadership team of MSDL would be found in their public fillings. Generally, it operates under the broader Morgan Stanley Investment Management structure.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Senior Secured Loans: MSDL's primary offering is direct origination and investment in senior secured loans to middle-market companies. Specific market share data is difficult to ascertain due to the private nature of direct lending but competitors include other BDCs and private credit funds.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The direct lending industry involves non-bank lenders providing capital to middle-market companies, often filling the void left by traditional banks. The market is growing due to increased demand for flexible financing solutions.
Positioning
MSDL leverages Morgan Stanley's brand and origination capabilities to compete in the direct lending space. Their competitive advantage stems from access to a wide deal flow and expertise in credit analysis.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The middle-market direct lending TAM is estimated to be hundreds of billions of dollars. MSDL is positioned to capture a portion of this market through its origination and investment activities.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Strong brand reputation (Morgan Stanley)
- Extensive origination network
- Experienced investment team
- Access to capital
Weaknesses
- Reliance on market conditions for deal flow
- Potential for credit losses in economic downturns
- Limited liquidity compared to publicly traded securities
Opportunities
- Growing demand for private credit
- Expansion into new sectors or geographies
- Partnerships with other financial institutions
Threats
- Increased competition from other direct lenders
- Economic recession leading to borrower defaults
- Changes in regulations affecting private credit
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- BXSL
- ARCC
- TPVG
- PFLT
- CSWC
Competitive Landscape
MSDL competes with other BDCs and private credit funds in the direct lending space. Its competitive advantage lies in its strong brand, origination capabilities, and experienced investment team.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Historical growth can be evaluated by reviewing past financial statements and analyzing trends in assets under management and revenue.
Future Projections: Analyst estimates for future growth are not readily available. Projections depend on market conditions, origination activity, and investment performance.
Recent Initiatives: Recent strategic initiatives of MSDL can be found in company press releases, investor presentations, and regulatory filings.
Summary
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund leverages the parent company's strength to originate and invest in middle-market loans. While it benefits from a strong brand and origination network, it faces competition and credit risk. Growth depends on market conditions, origination activity, and managing potential borrower defaults. Access to a large amount of capital is key to its success.
Peer Comparison
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund SEC Filings
- Company Website
- Industry Reports
- Analyst Reports (where available)
Disclaimers:
This analysis is based on publicly available information and should not be considered financial advice. Market share data is estimated and may not be precise.
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 Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund
Exchange NYSE | Headquaters New York, NY, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 2024-01-24 | CEO & Director Mr. Michael Occi Jr. | ||
Sector Financial Services | Industry Asset Management | Full time employees - | Website |
Full time employees - | Website |
Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund is a business development company. The fund chiefly invests in riskier bonds, issued by middle-market companies or by private equity firms looking to finance their acquisitions.

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