New Mountain Finance Corporation Announces Financial Results for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2016

Reports Adjusted Net Investment Income of $0.34 per Weighted Average Share and Net Asset Value of $12.87 per Share

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2016--New Mountain Finance Corporation (NYSE:NMFC) (the "Company", "we", "us" or "our") today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 and reported first quarter adjusted net investment income¹ of $0.34 per weighted average share. At March 31, 2016, net asset value (“NAV”) per share was $12.87, a decrease of $0.21 per share from December 31, 2015. The Company also announced that its board of directors declared a second quarter dividend of $0.34 per share, which will be payable on June 30, 2016 to holders of record as of June 16, 2016.

During the first quarter, the Company amended its credit facility (the “NMFC Credit Facility”) to increase the maximum capacity of the credit facility from $95.0 million to $110.0 million.

Selected Financial Highlights

(in thousands, except per share data)	March 31, 2016
Investment Portfolio⁽¹⁾	$	1,519,877
Total Assets	$	1,572,266
Total Statutory Debt⁽²⁾	$	609,013
NAV	$	821,845

NAV per Share	$	12.87
Statutory Debt/Equity	0.74x

Investment Portfolio Composition	March 31, 2016		Percent of Total
First Lien	$	671,710	44.2	%
Second Lien⁽¹⁾		644,631	42.4	%
Subordinated		79,270	5.2	%
Preferred Equity		75,901	5.0	%
Common Equity and Other		26,791	1.8	%
Investment Fund		21,574	1.4	%
Total	$	1,519,877	100.0	%

	Three Months Ended March 31, 2016
(in millions, except per share data)	GAAP		Non-Cash Adjustments⁽³⁾		Adjusted⁽³⁾
Net investment income ("NII")	$	21.6	($0.1	)	$	21.5

Net investment income per weighted average share	$	0.34			$	0.34

We believe that the strength of the Company’s unique investment strategy – which focuses on acyclical “defensive growth” companies that are well researched by New Mountain Capital, L.L.C. (“New Mountain”), a leading alternative investment firm – is underscored by continued stable credit performance. The Company has had only four portfolio companies, representing approximately $36.4 million of the cost of all investments made since inception in October 2008, or approximately 1.0%, go on non-accrual.

Robert Hamwee, CEO, commented “The first quarter represented another solid quarter of performance for NMFC. We covered our dividend and continue to maintain a stable portfolio yield. We are also pleased to announce the completion of several strategic initiatives that we believe will deliver additional shareholder value. We closed our second senior loan fund, which we anticipate will generate an attractive return on equity once ramped. Additionally, we further diversified our financing sources through the private placement of unsecured senior notes which we expect to close this week, and the upsizing of our corporate revolving credit facility.”

“As managers and as significant stockholders personally, we are pleased with the progress of the Company and the completion of another successful quarter, where we fully earned our dividend,” added Steven B. Klinsky, NMFC Chairman. “We believe our strategy of focusing on acyclical “defensive growth” industries and on companies that we know well continues to prove a successful strategy and preserves stockholder value.”

As of March 31, 2016, the Company’s NAV was approximately $821.8 million and its portfolio had a fair value of approximately $1,519.9 million in 74 portfolio companies, with a weighted average Yield to Maturity at Cost³ of approximately 10.4%. For the three months ended March 31, 2016, the Company made approximately $27.6 million of originations and commitments⁴. The $27.6 million includes approximately $4.8 million of investments in one new portfolio company and approximately $22.8 million of follow-on investments in six portfolio companies held as of December 31, 2015. For the three months ended March 31, 2016, the Company had approximately $15.8 million of sales in one portfolio company and cash repayments⁴ of approximately $24.4 million.

The Company’s total adjusted investment income for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $40.9 million and $36.5 million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s total adjusted investment income consisted of approximately $37.1 million⁵ and $32.4 million^5,6 in cash interest income from investments, respectively, prepayment penalties of approximately $0.2 million and $0.4 million, respectively, approximately $1.0 million and $1.1⁶ million in payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest income from investments, respectively, net amortization of purchase premiums/discounts of approximately $0.7 million and $0.6 million, respectively, cash dividend income of approximately $0 and $(0.1) million, respectively, PIK dividend income of approximately $0.7 million and $0.5, respectively, and approximately $1.2 million and $1.6 million in other income, respectively.

The Company’s total net expenses after income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $19.4 million and $17.0 million, respectively, excluding $0 and $0.5 million of accrued hypothetical capital gains incentive fee, respectively. The hypothetical capital gains incentive fee is based upon the cumulative net Adjusted Realized Capital Gains (Losses)⁷ and the cumulative net Adjusted Unrealized Capital Appreciation (Depreciation)⁷ from inception through the end of the current period. Actual amounts paid to New Mountain Finance Advisers BDC, L.L.C. (the “Investment Adviser”) are consistent with the investment advisory and management agreement between the Company and the Investment Adviser (the “Investment Management Agreement”), and are based only on actual Adjusted Realized Capital Gains computed net of all Adjusted Realized Capital Losses and Adjusted Unrealized Capital Depreciation on a cumulative basis from inception through the end of each calendar year as if the entire portfolio was sold at fair value.

Total net expenses after income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 consisted of approximately $6.6 million and $5.5 million, respectively, of costs associated with the Company’s borrowings and approximately $10.9 million and $10.0 million, respectively, in net management and incentive fees, excluding $0 and $0.5 million of accrued hypothetical capital gains incentive fee, respectively. Since the initial public offering (“IPO”), the base management fee calculation has deducted the borrowings under the New Mountain Finance SPV Funding, L.L.C. credit facility (the “SLF Credit Facility”). The SLF Credit Facility had historically consisted of primarily lower yielding assets at higher advance rates. As part of an amendment to the Company’s existing credit facilities with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, the SLF Credit Facility merged with and into the New Mountain Finance Holdings, L.L.C. credit facility (the “Holdings Credit Facility”) on December 18, 2014. Post credit facility merger and to be consistent with the methodology since the IPO, the Investment Adviser will continue to waive management fees on the leverage associated with those assets that share the same underlying yield characteristics with investments that were leveraged under the legacy SLF Credit Facility, which as of March 31, 2016 and 2015 totaled approximately $297.9 million and $318.6 million, respectively. The Investment Adviser cannot recoup management fees that the Investment Adviser has previously waived. For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, management fees waived were approximately $1.3 million and $1.4 million, respectively. The Company’s net direct and indirect professional, administrative, other general and administrative and income tax expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $1.9 million and $1.5 million, respectively.

For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded approximately $0.1 million and $(0.1) million of adjusted net realized gains (losses), respectively, and $(14.3) million and $4.5 million of adjusted net changes in unrealized (depreciation) appreciation of investments and securities purchased under collateralized agreements to resell, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, benefit (provision) for taxes was approximately $0.8 million and $(0.5) million, respectively, related to differences between the computation of income for United States (“U.S.”) federal income tax purposes as compared to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).

As of March 31, 2016, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $32.7 million and total statutory debt outstanding of approximately $609.0 million (approximately $397.5 million of the $495.0 million of total availability on the New Holdings Credit Facility, $96.5 million of the $110.0 million of total availability on the NMFC Credit Facility and $115.0 million of convertible notes outstanding). Additionally, the Company had $117.7 million of SBA-guaranteed debentures outstanding as of March 31, 2016.

The Company puts its largest emphasis on risk control and credit performance. On a quarterly basis, or more frequently if deemed necessary, the Company formally rates each portfolio investment on a scale of one to four. Each investment is assigned an initial rating of a “2” under the assumption that the investment is performing materially in-line with expectations. Any investment performing materially below our expectations would be downgraded from the “2” rating to a “3” or a “4” rating, based on the deterioration of the investment. An investment rating of a “4” could be moved to non-accrual status, and the final development could be an actual realization of a loss through a restructuring or impaired sale.

As of March 31, 2016, five portfolio companies had an investment rating of “3,” with a total cost basis of approximately $95.9 million and a fair value of approximately $51.7 million.

As of March 31, 2016, one portfolio company was on non-accrual status and had an investment rating of “4”, with aggregate cost basis of approximately $1.6 million and an aggregate fair value of approximately $0.4 million.

On March 9, 2016, the Company and SkyKnight Income, LLC ("SkyKnight") entered into a limited liability company agreement to establish a joint venture, NMFC Senior Loan Program II LLC ("SLP II"). The Company and SkyKnight have committed to provide $79.4 million and $20.6 million of equity, respectively, with a closing date of April 12, 2016. The purpose of the joint venture is to invest primarily in senior secured loans issued by portfolio companies within the Company's core industry verticals. All investment decisions must be unanimously approved by the investment committee of SLP II, which has equal representation from us and SkyKnight. As of March 31, 2016, no capital contributions had been made. SLP II obtained financing and began to invest during the second quarter of 2016.

The Company has had approximately $51.4 million of originations and commitments since the end of the first quarter through May 2, 2016. This was offset by approximately $81.7 million of repayments and $8.6 million of sales during the same period.

On April 12, 2016, SLP II closed its $275.0 million revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association which matures on April 12, 2021 and bears interest at a rate of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus 1.75% per annum.

On May 3, 2016, the Company’s board of directors declared a second quarter 2016 distribution of $0.34 per share payable on June 30, 2016 to holders of record as of June 16, 2016.

On May 4, 2016, the Company amended the NMFC Credit Facility to increase the maximum capacity of the credit facility from $110.0 million to $122.5 million.

On May 4, 2016, the Company entered into a Note Purchase Agreement governing the issuance of $50.0 million in aggregate principal amount of five-year senior unsecured notes (the “Notes”) to an institutional investor in a private placement. The issuance of the Notes is expected to occur on May 6, 2016. The Notes will rank pari-passu with the Company’s other unsecured indebtedness, including the Company’s convertible notes issued on June 3, 2014. The Notes have a fixed interest rate of 5.313% and are due on May 15, 2021.

In evaluating its business, NMFC considers and uses adjusted net investment income as a measure of its operating performance. Adjusted net investment income is defined as net investment income adjusted to reflect income as if the cost basis of investments held at NMFC’s IPO date had stepped-up to fair market value as of the IPO date. Under GAAP, NMFC’s IPO did not step-up the cost basis of the predecessor operating company’s existing investments to fair market value. Since the total value of the predecessor operating company’s investments at the time of the IPO was greater than the investments’ cost basis, a larger amount of amortization of purchase or issue discount, and different amounts in realized gains and unrealized appreciation, may be recognized under GAAP in each period than if a step-up had occurred. For purposes of the incentive fee calculation, NMFC adjusts income as if each investment was purchased at the date of the IPO (or stepped-up to fair market value). In addition, adjusted net investment income excludes any capital gains incentive fee.

The term adjusted net investment income is not defined under GAAP and is not a measure of operating income, operating performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted net investment income has limitations as an analytical tool and, when assessing NMFC’s operating performance, and that of its portfolio companies, investors should not consider adjusted net investment income in isolation, or as a substitute for net investment income, or other consolidated income statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP. Among other things, adjusted net investment income does not reflect NMFC’s, or its portfolio companies’, actual cash expenditures. Other companies may calculate similar measures differently than NMFC, limiting their usefulness as comparative tools.

_________________________________
¹		Adjusted net investment income is defined as net investment income adjusted to reflect income as if the cost basis of investments held at NMFC’s IPO date had stepped-up to fair market value as of the IPO date. For additional information regarding NMFC’s use of this non-GAAP financial measure, please refer to “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures”.
²		Includes collateral for securities purchased under collateralized agreements to resell.
³		References to “Yield to Maturity at Cost” assume the accruing investments in our portfolio as of a certain date, the ‘‘Portfolio Date’’, are purchased at adjusted cost on that date and held until their respective maturities with no prepayments or losses and are exited at par at maturity. This calculation excludes the impact of existing leverage. Yield to Maturity at Cost uses the LIBOR curves at each quarter’s respective end date. The actual yield to maturity may be higher or lower due to the future selection of LIBOR contracts by the individual companies in the Company’s portfolio or other factors.
⁴		Excludes revolving credit facilities, payment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest, bridge loans, return of capital and realized gains / losses.
⁵		Includes reclassification into cash interest of recurring management fee and recurring distributions associated with the fully ramped NMFC Senior Loan Program I LLC investment fund held by NMFC from other income and dividend income, respectively.
⁶		Includes an approximate $0.4 million reclassification from cash to PIK interest income.
⁷		Under GAAP, the Company’s IPO did not step-up the cost basis of New Mountain Finance Holdings, L.L.C.’s (the “Predecessor Operating Company” or “NMF Holdings”) existing investments to fair market value at the IPO date. Since the total value of the Predecessor Operating Company’s investments at the time of the IPO was greater than the investments’ cost basis, a larger amount of amortization of purchase or original issue discount, as well as different amounts in realized gain and unrealized appreciation, may be recognized under GAAP in each period than if the step-up had occurred. This will remain until such predecessor investments are sold or mature in the future. The Company tracks the transferred (or fair market) value of each of its investments as of the time of the IPO and, for purposes of the incentive fee calculation, adjusts Pre-Incentive Fee Net Investment Income to reflect the amortization of purchase or original issue discount on the Company’s investments as if each investment was purchased at the date of the IPO, or stepped up to fair market value. This is defined as “Pre-Incentive Fee Adjusted Net Investment Income”. The Company also uses the transferred (or fair market) value of each of its investments as of the time of the IPO to adjust capital gains and losses (“Adjusted Realized Capital Gains (Losses)”) and unrealized capital appreciation and depreciation (“Adjusted Unrealized Capital Appreciation (Depreciation)”).

New Mountain Finance Corporation will host a conference call at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 5, 2016, to discuss its first quarter 2016 financial results. All interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing +1 (877) 443-9109 approximately 15 minutes prior to the call. International callers should dial +1 (412) 317-1082. This conference call will also be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed by all interested parties through the Company's website, http://ir.newmountainfinance.com. To listen to the live call, please go to the Company's website at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register and download any necessary audio software. Following the call, you may access a replay of the event via audio webcast on our website. We will be utilizing a presentation during the conference call and we have posted the presentation to the investor relations section of our website.

New Mountain Finance Corporation
Consolidated Statements of Assets and Liabilities
(in thousands, except shares and per share data)
(unaudited)

	March 31, 2016			December 31, 2015
Assets
Investments at fair value
Non-controlled/non-affiliated investments (cost of $1,427,717 and $1,438,415, respectively)	$	1,352,403		$	1,377,515
Non-controlled/affiliated investments (cost of $91,282 and $89,047, respectively)		88,371			87,287
Controlled investments (cost of $42,082 and $41,254, respectively)		49,429			47,422
Total investments at fair value (cost of $1,561,081 and $1,568,716, respectively)		1,490,203			1,512,224
Securities purchased under collateralized agreements to resell (cost of $30,000 and $30,000, respectively)		29,674			29,704
Cash and cash equivalents		32,683			30,102
Interest and dividend receivable		16,034			13,832
Receivable from affiliates		707			360
Other assets		2,965			1,924
Total assets	$	1,572,266		$	1,588,146

Liabilities
Borrowings
Holdings Credit Facility	$	397,513		$	419,313
SBA-guaranteed debentures		117,745			117,745
Convertible Notes		115,000			115,000
NMFC Credit Facility		96,500			90,000
Deferred financing costs (net of accumulated amortization of $9,596 and $8,822, respectively)		(13,264	)		(13,992	)
Net borrowings		713,494			728,066
Incentive fee payable		11,007			5,622
Management fee payable		10,983			5,466
Payable for unsettled securities purchased		7,549			5,441
Interest payable		2,946			2,343
Payable to affiliates		959			564
Deferred tax liability		952			1,676
Other liabilities		2,531			2,060
Total liabilities		750,421			751,238
Commitments and contingencies
Net Assets
Preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, 2,000,000 shares authorized, none issued		–			–
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized, and 64,005,387 and 64,005,387 shares issued, respectively, and 63,880,437 and 64,005,387 shares outstanding, respectively		640			640
Paid in capital in excess of par		899,751			899,713
Treasury stock at cost, 124,950 and 0 shares held, respectively		(1,433	)		–
Accumulated undistributed net investment income		4,012			4,164
Accumulated undistributed net realized gains on investments		1,518			1,342
Net unrealized (depreciation) appreciation (net of provision for taxes of $952 and $1,676, respectively)		(82,643	)		(68,951	)
Total net assets	$	821,845		$	836,908
Total liabilities and net assets	$	1,572,266		$	1,588,146

Number of shares outstanding		63,880,437			64,005,387
Net asset value per share	$	12.87		$	13.08

New Mountain Finance Corporation
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except shares and per share data)
(unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2016			March 31, 2015
Investment income
From non-controlled/non-affiliated investments:
Interest income	$	35,706		$	31,854
Dividend income		–			(99	)
Other income		1,222			1,557
From non-controlled/affiliated investments:
Interest income		1,582			1,043
Dividend income		920			858
Other income		313			314
From controlled investments:
Interest income		502			450
Dividend income		719			548
Other income		12			11
Total investment income		40,976			36,536
Expenses
Incentive fee		5,385			4,878
Capital gains incentive fee		–			481
Total incentive fees		5,385			5,359
Management fee		6,836			6,468
Interest and other financing expenses		6,602			5,477
Professional fees		877			739
Administrative expenses		839			635
Other general and administrative expenses		432			429
Total expenses		20,971			19,107
Less: management fee waived		(1,319	)		(1,382	)
Less: expenses waived and reimbursed		(284	)		(400	)
Net expenses		19,368			17,325
Net investment income before income taxes		21,608			19,211
Income tax expense		41			149
Net investment income		21,567			19,062
Net realized gains (losses):
Non-controlled/non-affiliated investments		176			(133	)
Net change in unrealized (depreciation) appreciation:
Non-controlled/non-affiliated investments		(14,414	)		(1,462	)
Non-controlled/affiliated investments		(1,151	)		(872	)
Controlled investments		1,179			6,820
Securities purchased under collateralized agreements to resell		(30	)		–
Benefit (provision) for taxes		724			(501	)
Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains		(13,516	)		3,852
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations	$	8,051		$	22,914
Basic earnings per share	$	0.13		$	0.40
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding-basic		63,934,151			57,998,754
Diluted earnings per share	$	0.13		$	0.37
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding-diluted		71,211,282			65,217,837
Dividends declared and paid per share	$	0.34		$	0.34

New Mountain Finance Corporation Adjusted Net Investment Income
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited, numbers may not add due to rounding)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2016
Investment income
Interest income	$	37.8
Dividend income		1.6
Other income		1.5
Total investment income		40.9

Expenses
Management fee		6.8
Incentive fee		5.4
Interest and other financing expenses		6.6
Professional fees		0.9
Administrative expenses		0.9
Other general and administrative expenses		0.4
Total expenses		21.0
Less: management fee waived		(1.3	)
Less: expenses waived and reimbursed		(0.3	)
Net expenses		19.4
Net investment income before income taxes		21.5
Income tax expense		0.0
Net investment income ("NII")⁽¹⁾		21.5

Net realized gains (losses) on investments		0.1
Net change in unrealized (depreciation) appreciation of investments		(14.3	)
Net change in unrealized (depreciation) appreciation of securities purchased under collateralized agreements to resell		(0.0	)
Benefit for taxes		0.8
Capital gains incentive fee		–
Net realized and unrealized losses		(13.4	)
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations	$	8.1

Adjusted NII per weighted average share⁽¹⁾	$	0.34

New Mountain Finance Corporation is a closed-end, non-diversified and externally managed investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company’s investment objective is to generate current income and capital appreciation through the sourcing and origination of debt securities at all levels of the capital structure, including first and second lien debt, notes, bonds and mezzanine securities. In some cases, the investments may also include small equity interests. The Company’s investment activities are managed by its Investment Adviser, New Mountain Finance Advisers BDC, L.L.C., which is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. More information about New Mountain Finance Corporation can be found on the Company’s website at http://www.newmountainfinance.com.

New Mountain Capital, L.L.C. is a New York-based alternative investment firm investing for long-term capital appreciation through direct investments in growth equity transactions, leveraged acquisitions, and management buyouts. The firm currently manages private and public equity funds with more than $15.0 billion in aggregate capital commitments. New Mountain Capital, L.L.C. seeks out the highest-quality defensive growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. For more information on New Mountain Capital, L.L.C., please visit http://www.newmountaincapital.com.

Statements included herein may contain “forward-looking statements”, which relate to our future operations, future performance or our financial condition. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those described from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or factors that are beyond our control. New Mountain Finance Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the time of this press release.

CONTACT:
New Mountain Finance Corporation
Investor Relations
Shiraz Y. Kajee, Authorized Representative
(212) 220-3505
NMFCIR@newmountaincapital.com

______________________________
⁽¹⁾		Includes collateral for securities purchased under collateralized agreements to resell.
⁽²⁾		Excludes the Company’s U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”)-guaranteed debentures.
⁽³⁾		Refer to “Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Investment Income” noted below for additional details.

New Mountain Finance Corporation Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Investment Income
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2016
				Per Weighted
	Amount			Average Share
GAAP net investment income ("NII")	$	21.6		$	0.34
Non-cash capital gains incentive fee⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾		(0.1	)		(0.00	)
Adjusted NII	$	21.5		$	0.34

⁽¹⁾		Reclassification of the non-cash capital gains incentive fee out of net investment income and into net increase in net assets resulting from operations.
⁽²⁾		Net of non-cash amortization adjustment of less than $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, respectively.

⁽¹⁾		Includes reclassification of the non-cash capital gains incentive fee out of net investment income and into net increase in net assets resulting from operations.