The LIM Asia Special Situations Master Fund has increased its ownership in the Ranger Direct Lending Fund to 9.2% from 5.48% reported in July; the Ranger Direct Lending Fund is primarily focused on high yield direct lending platforms; it has recently been troubled by its exposure to losses from marketplace lending platform Argon Credit which it invested in indirectly through the Princeton Alternatives Fund. Source
The Ranger Direct Lending Fund announced its second quarter 2017 dividend; the Fund has decreased its dividend to 24.26 pence per ordinary share; the lower dividend was a result of ongoing issues with investment in the Princeton Alternative Income Fund which had exposure to troubled lending platform Argon Credit; the Fund's returns have also been lower over the past few months and it has increased its cash holdings. Source
Ranger Direct Lending Fund raised close to $20 million of the $50 million target it set out to raise through a placing of C shares; in 2015 the fund was looking to raise $169 million but pulled the offering and then raised $17 million; though the fundraise fell short, Numis Securities anticipated the Fund would have issues as the shares are trading at 5% discount. Source
Invesco Perpetual has sold GBP9.6 million ($12.45 million) worth of shares in the Ranger Direct Lending Fund, reducing its stake to 27.9%; the GBP243 million ($315 million) Fund has been struggling in 2017; it primarily invests across the private debt landscape with a focus on private direct lenders; however its losses have been related to its exposure to troubled lending platform Argon Credit which it had invested in indirectly through the Princeton Alternative Fund; in February 2017 it reported a significant impairment charge for the investment and its value has been decreasing. Source
The Ranger Direct Lending Fund is trading at a discount to its NAV in part due to effects from issues at Argon Credit; the Fund had exposure of $28 million to Argon when it announced its bankruptcy in December 2016; while it said the Fund would see little effect from the exposure it has now announced a write-down from holdings in the Princeton Alternative Income fund which was affected by Argon Credit; further developments continue to occur and volatility is expected to continue for the Fund's share price. Source
The Ranger Direct Lending Fund has reported plans for share issuance totaling 200 million British pounds through 2017; the Fund currently has a 40 million British pound issuance planned for December; it also raised 30 million British pounds in July and 23.2 million British pounds in November of 2016; according to a statement from Ranger Direct Lending, "The company believes that debt instruments originated or issued by direct lending platforms are an attractive and growing asset class that have the potential to provide higher returns for investors than other, more widely available, fixed income products."; growth from the asset class and potential returns are factors driving the new issuances. Source