Tearsheet

Main Street Capital (MAIN)


Market Price (12/4/2025): $59.5 | Market Cap: $5.3 Bil
Sector: Financials | Industry: Asset Management & Custody Banks

Main Street Capital (MAIN)


Market Price (12/4/2025): $59.5
Market Cap: $5.3 Bil
Sector: Financials
Industry: Asset Management & Custody Banks

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?

1. Generates cash flow

The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.

2. Riding a trend

Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow


0 Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 15%, Dividend Yield is 5.9%, ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is 11%, FCF Yield is 5.6%
Meaningful short interest
Short Interest Days-to-CoverDTC = (Short Interest Share Quantity) / (Average Daily Trading Volume). Reflects how many days it would take to cover (close out) the short interest based on average volumes. High DTC can signify an increased risk of a short squeeze. is 12
Expensive valuation multiples
P/SPrice/Sales ratio is 9.1x
1 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 51%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 51%
  Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg QQuarterly Revenue Change % is -0.2%
2 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 24%
  
3 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Digital & Alternative Assets. Themes include Private Equity, and Private Credit.
  
0 Attractive yield
Total YieldTotal Yield = Earnings Yield + Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield = Net Income / Market Cap Dividend Yield = Total Dividends / Market Cap is 15%, Dividend Yield is 5.9%, ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is 11%, FCF Yield is 5.6%
1 Attractive cash flow generation
CFO/Rev LTMCash Flow from Operations / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 51%, FCF/Rev LTMFree Cash Flow / Revenue (Sales), Last Twelve Months (LTM) is 51%
2 Low stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 24%
3 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Digital & Alternative Assets. Themes include Private Equity, and Private Credit.
4 Meaningful short interest
Short Interest Days-to-CoverDTC = (Short Interest Share Quantity) / (Average Daily Trading Volume). Reflects how many days it would take to cover (close out) the short interest based on average volumes. High DTC can signify an increased risk of a short squeeze. is 12
5 Expensive valuation multiples
P/SPrice/Sales ratio is 9.1x
6 Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg QQuarterly Revenue Change % is -0.2%

Valuation, Metrics & Events

MAIN Stock


Why The Stock Moved


Qualitative Assessment

AI Generated Analysis | Feedback

The stock of Main Street Capital (MAIN) experienced a -2.0% year-to-date decline as of December 3, 2025, with short-term performance also showing a modest decrease over 30 days. While the specific -8.9% movement between August 31, 2025, and December 4, 2025, is not explicitly detailed in available information, several factors can generally influence the stock performance of Business Development Companies (BDCs) like Main Street Capital.

1. Valuation and Market Perception: Main Street Capital's stock recently closed at $58.06, with an Excess Returns model suggesting it is approximately 8.1% overvalued, indicating it screens as slightly expensive. Its Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio of about 9.7x is below the broader Capital Markets industry average of 23.8x, which might suggest it's cheaper than competitors on earnings, but this doesn't fully capture differences in growth prospects, business quality, or risk.

2. Interest Rate Sensitivity and Economic Conditions: BDCs can be sensitive to economic conditions and market volatility, as their success depends on the performance of the companies they invest in. While some investors believe BDC earnings benefit from rising interest rates due to floating-rate loans, the actual impact depends on various factors, including the mix of fixed-versus floating-rate assets, leverage, and funding costs. A BDC correction in late 2025 was attributed to market overreactions to minor Federal Reserve rate cuts, isolated loan defaults, and regional bank issues.

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Stock Movement Drivers

Return vs. Risk


Price Returns Compared

 202020212022202320242025Total [1]
Returns
MAIN Return-20%48%-11%28%47%5%111%
Peers Return23%18%-13%10%1%1%42%
S&P 500 Return16%27%-19%24%23%16%112%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
MAIN Win Rate58%75%33%67%83%50% 
Peers Win Rate67%50%35%56%48%45% 
S&P 500 Win Rate58%75%42%67%75%70% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
MAIN Max Drawdown-63%-2%-23%-0%0%-14% 
Peers Max Drawdown-39%-13%-31%-11%-12%-16% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-31%-1%-25%-1%-2%-15% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: VRTS, SLRC, DHIL, GEG, BLKS.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/3/2025 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

Unique KeyEventMAINS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock2022 Inflation Shock  
2022 Inflation Shock% Loss% Loss-28.1%-25.4%
2022 Inflation Shock% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven39.0%34.1%
2022 Inflation ShockTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven470 days464 days
2020 Covid Pandemic2020 Covid Pandemic  
2020 Covid Pandemic% Loss% Loss-65.0%-33.9%
2020 Covid Pandemic% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven185.9%51.3%
2020 Covid PandemicTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven592 days148 days
2018 Correction2018 Correction  
2018 Correction% Loss% Loss-19.9%-19.8%
2018 Correction% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven24.8%24.7%
2018 CorrectionTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven148 days120 days
2008 Global Financial Crisis2008 Global Financial Crisis  
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Loss% Loss-38.7%-56.8%
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven63.3%131.3%
2008 Global Financial CrisisTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven181 days1480 days

Compare to VRTS, SLRC, DHIL, GEG, BLKS


In The Past

Main Street Capital's stock fell -28.1% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 8/5/2022. A -28.1% loss requires a 39.0% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth over time.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About Main Street Capital (MAIN)

Better Bets than Main Street Capital (MAIN)

Trade Ideas

Select past ideas related to MAIN. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.

Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
WU_11212025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11212025WUWestern UnionDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
3.4%3.4%-0.4%
COIN_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025COINCoinbase GlobalMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
9.5%9.5%0.0%
PYPL_11142025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11142025PYPLPayPalDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
0.1%0.1%-7.5%
V_11142025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11142025VVisaMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
-0.1%-0.1%-2.7%
WD_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025WDWalker & DunlopDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
-7.7%-7.7%-11.0%
Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
WU_11212025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11212025WUWestern UnionDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
3.4%3.4%-0.4%
COIN_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025COINCoinbase GlobalMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
9.5%9.5%0.0%
PYPL_11142025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11142025PYPLPayPalDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
0.1%0.1%-7.5%
V_11142025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11142025VVisaMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
-0.1%-0.1%-2.7%
WD_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025WDWalker & DunlopDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
-7.7%-7.7%-11.0%

Recent Active Movers

Recent Active Movers

More From Trefis

Peer Comparisons for Main Street Capital

Peers to compare with:

Financials

MAINVRTSSLRCDHILGEGBLKSMedian
NameMain Str.Virtus I.SLR Inve.Diamond .Great ElmBlack Un. 
Mkt Price59.35163.1616.02116.902.60-59.35
Mkt Cap5.31.10.90.30.1-0.9
Rev LTM62387410015216-152
Op Inc LTM-179-44-8-44
FCF LTM31870104-35-9-70
FCF 3Y Avg12712513816-10-125
CFO LTM31877104-32-9-77
CFO 3Y Avg12713213817-9-127

Growth & Margins

MAINVRTSSLRCDHILGEGBLKSMedian
NameMain Str.Virtus I.SLR Inve.Diamond .Great ElmBlack Un. 
Rev Chg LTM9.8%-1.2%-6.2%2.9%-8.5%--1.2%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg27.6%-2.4%159.6%-2.1%13.5%-13.5%
Rev Chg Q-0.2%-4.8%8.2%-2.0%-37.1%--2.0%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM-0.0%-1.2%2.1%-0.6%-16.9%--0.6%
Op Mgn LTM-20.5%-28.8%-49.1%-20.5%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg-18.9%-26.5%-74.1%-18.9%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM--0.1%--0.2%-6.5%--0.2%
CFO/Rev LTM51.0%8.9%104.5%-21.2%-55.2%-8.9%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg22.2%15.6%142.9%11.7%-56.6%-15.6%
FCF/Rev LTM51.0%8.0%104.5%-23.1%-55.2%-8.0%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg22.2%14.7%142.9%11.0%-66.7%-14.7%

Valuation

MAINVRTSSLRCDHILGEGBLKSMedian
NameMain Str.Virtus I.SLR Inve.Diamond .Great ElmBlack Un. 
Mkt Cap5.31.10.90.30.1-0.9
P/S9.11.58.32.53.4-3.4
P/EBIT-3.6-8.72.8-3.6
P/E10.69.49.38.14.3-9.3
P/CFO17.916.68.0-11.8-6.1-8.0
Total Yield15.3%15.6%21.5%16.6%23.4%-16.6%
Dividend Yield5.9%5.0%10.7%4.3%0.0%-5.0%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg2.7%8.7%16.7%2.9%-17.7%-2.9%
D/E0.42.01.40.01.1-1.1
Net D/E0.41.60.9-0.1-0.9-0.4

Returns

MAINVRTSSLRCDHILGEGBLKSMedian
NameMain Str.Virtus I.SLR Inve.Diamond .Great ElmBlack Un. 
1M Rtn4.3%1.8%4.2%-5.3%4.4%-4.2%
3M Rtn-8.0%-14.1%-0.8%-14.0%-15.9%--14.0%
6M Rtn8.5%-1.2%0.7%-10.1%20.6%-0.7%
12M Rtn15.2%-30.3%5.6%-24.3%43.6%-5.6%
3Y Rtn99.5%-7.0%43.3%-24.8%31.3%-31.3%
1M Excs Rtn4.3%1.8%4.2%-5.3%4.5%-4.2%
3M Excs Rtn-14.7%-21.2%-6.9%-21.0%-18.7%--18.7%
6M Excs Rtn-6.2%-15.9%-14.1%-24.8%5.9%--14.1%
12M Excs Rtn1.5%-44.0%-8.0%-37.4%29.3%--8.0%
3Y Excs Rtn28.2%-75.8%-22.7%-96.4%-43.4%--43.4%

Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment

$ Mil20242023202220212020
Single Segment612396480108223
Total612396480108223


Price Behavior

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date11142025
Short Interest: Shares Quantity5,928,624
Short Interest: % Change Since 103120259.2%
Average Daily Volume494,101
Days-to-Cover Short Interest12
Basic Shares Quantity89,627,718
Short % of Basic Shares6.6%

SEC Filings

Expand for More

Report DateFiling DateFiling
93020251107202510-Q 9/30/2025
6302025808202510-Q 6/30/2025
3312025509202510-Q 3/31/2025
12312024228202510-K 12/31/2024
93020241108202410-Q 9/30/2024
6302024809202410-Q 6/30/2024
3312024510202410-Q 3/31/2024
12312023223202410-K 12/31/2023
93020231103202310-Q 9/30/2023
6302023804202310-Q 6/30/2023
3312023505202310-Q 3/31/2023
12312022224202310-K 12/31/2022
93020221104202210-Q 9/30/2022
6302022805202210-Q 6/30/2022
3312022506202210-Q 3/31/2022
12312021225202210-K 12/31/2021