Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 12.2x · EV/EBITDA 13.0x · ROE 11.9%. (1997–2026 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $1.4B | $1.5B | $1.1B | $1.0B | $534M | $542M | $422M | $206M | $352M | $275M | $268M |
| Enterprise Value | $2.5B | $2.6B | $2.1B | $1.8B | $1.1B | $1.1B | $772M | $495M | $558M | $362M | $271M |
| P/E Ratio → | 12.18 | 11.64 | 15.18 | 12.18 | 16.16 | 12.69 | 8.30 | — | 10.63 | 6.98 | 11.43 |
| P/S Ratio | 8.02 | 8.12 | 10.50 | 9.32 | 8.68 | 6.53 | 7.73 | — | 7.20 | 5.16 | 6.99 |
| P/B Ratio | 1.51 | 1.44 | 1.29 | 1.35 | 0.90 | 1.29 | 1.26 | 0.76 | 1.08 | 0.89 | 0.94 |
| P/FCF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8.25 | — | — | — |
| P/OCF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8.25 | — | — | — |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 14.26 | 18.88 | 16.09 | 18.71 | 12.76 | 14.13 | — | 11.42 | 6.81 | 7.06 |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.96 | 13.05 | 24.10 | 19.74 | 26.85 | 21.58 | 13.42 | — | 15.81 | 8.99 | 10.41 |
| EV / EBIT | 13.44 | 13.69 | 25.88 | 20.75 | 28.70 | 22.61 | 13.90 | — | 16.45 | 9.20 | 10.60 |
| EV / FCF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19.88 | — | — | — |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 94.3% | 94.3% | 66.5% | 71.7% | 68.0% | 80.6% | 100.0% | -1.5% | 80.1% | 91.6% | 97.5% |
| Operating Margin | 76.9% | 76.9% | 48.5% | 55.6% | 44.4% | 45.5% | 76.6% | -103.5% | 55.6% | 67.8% | 64.9% |
| Net Profit Margin | 45.9% | 45.9% | 43.1% | 54.8% | 36.6% | 41.6% | 70.1% | -143.3% | 54.1% | 67.7% | 59.6% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 11.9% | 11.9% | 8.6% | 12.4% | 6.5% | 11.3% | 16.7% | -7.5% | 10.4% | 13.2% | 8.4% |
| ROA | 5.6% | 5.6% | 4.1% | 5.9% | 3.0% | 5.0% | 7.7% | -3.9% | 6.8% | 10.6% | 7.7% |
| ROIC | 7.1% | 7.1% | 3.5% | 4.6% | 2.8% | 4.2% | 6.4% | -2.2% | 5.4% | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| ROCE | 9.3% | 9.3% | 4.6% | 6.0% | 3.6% | 5.5% | 8.4% | -2.8% | 7.0% | 10.8% | 8.5% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 1.12 | 1.12 | 1.08 | 1.02 | 1.08 | 1.26 | 1.13 | 1.11 | 0.66 | 0.31 | 0.09 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 5.77 | 5.77 | 11.21 | 8.67 | 14.89 | 10.77 | 6.63 | — | 6.12 | 2.37 | 0.96 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 1.09 | 1.03 | 0.98 | 1.04 | 1.23 | 1.04 | 1.06 | 0.63 | 0.28 | 0.01 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 5.62 | 5.62 | 10.70 | 8.31 | 14.39 | 10.54 | 6.08 | — | 5.84 | 2.17 | 0.10 |
| Debt / FCF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11.63 | — | — | — |
| Interest Coverage | 2.81 | 2.81 | 1.44 | 1.96 | 1.39 | 2.35 | 3.10 | -1.02 | 2.79 | 8.08 | 25.86 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.00 | 3.64 |
| Quick Ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.00 | 3.64 |
| Cash Ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1.75 | 3.11 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.11 | 0.09 | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.10 | 0.03 | 0.11 | 0.14 | 0.12 |
| Inventory Turnover | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 9.7% | 10.1% | 11.0% | 9.7% | 13.3% | 7.4% | 13.9% | 24.5% | 12.1% | 6.8% | 2.2% |
| Payout Ratio | 130.3% | 130.3% | 177.6% | 117.8% | 214.9% | 94.1% | 115.2% | — | 128.7% | 47.3% | 25.5% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 8.2% | 8.6% | 6.6% | 8.2% | 6.2% | 7.9% | 12.0% | — | 9.4% | 14.3% | 8.8% |
| FCF Yield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12.1% | — | — | — |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 4.5% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 9.7% | 10.1% | 11.0% | 9.7% | 13.5% | 7.7% | 13.9% | 29.0% | 12.1% | 7.0% | 2.2% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $66M | $51M | $41M | $30M | $23M | $19M | $18M | $17M | $16M | $16M |
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CSWC stock.
Capital Southwest Corporation's current P/E ratio is 12.2x. The historical average is 6.3x. This places it at the 86th percentile of its historical range.
Capital Southwest Corporation's current EV/EBITDA is 13.0x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 22.5x.
Capital Southwest Corporation's return on equity (ROE) is 11.9%. The historical average is 7.8%.
Based on historical data, Capital Southwest Corporation is trading at a P/E of 12.2x. This is at the 86th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Capital Southwest Corporation's current dividend yield is 9.66% with a payout ratio of 130.3%.
Capital Southwest Corporation has 94.3% gross margin and 76.9% operating margin. Operating margin above 20% indicates strong pricing power and cost efficiency.
Capital Southwest Corporation's Debt/EBITDA ratio is 5.8x, indicating high leverage. A ratio above 4x may signal elevated financial risk.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Credit quality at scale
Metrics are mathematically derived from official filings.
Premium Pricing for Internal Management
CSWC trades at 1.63x book value, a premium to externally managed peers like ARCC at 0.97x, reflecting market confidence in its internal model and NAV preservation, as per recent market data.
The P/B premium appears justified by the internal management structure, which aligns incentives and historically supports NAV stability. However, the forward P/E of 10.50x implies expectations of continued earnings growth, which may be challenged if NIM compression persists. Investors should monitor whether the premium can be sustained if credit quality deteriorates.
ROE Stability Amid Margin Compression
ROE has remained in a tight 1.8%-3.4% quarterly range over the past ten quarters, despite NIM declining from 2.2% to 1.7%, as reported in financial statements.
The stability in ROE appears to be supported by portfolio growth and provision reversals, which offset the narrowing spread between asset yields and funding costs. However, the reliance on non-recurring items like provision reversals may not be sustainable, and the underlying earning power could be weaker than headline ROE suggests. The efficiency ratio improvement to 23.2% indicates operating leverage, but this is partly offset by higher leverage.
NIM Compression Despite High Gross Margin
Net interest margin has declined from 2.2% in Q1 FY2025 to 1.7% in Q1 FY2027, while gross margin remains high at 94.33%, according to financial statements.
The compression in NIM suggests that the cost of funding is rising faster than asset yields, possibly due to increased reliance on debt financing as leverage approaches 1.12x. The high gross margin reflects the internal model's efficiency, but the narrowing NIM indicates that the spread benefit from higher rates is fading. This trend warrants monitoring as it could pressure future net investment income.
Leverage Approaching Comfort Zone
Debt-to-equity ratio stands at 1.12x, up from 1.01x a year ago, nearing the firm's historical leverage comfort zone, as per reported figures.
The increasing leverage suggests that CSWC is funding portfolio growth through debt, which may limit future capacity for originations without equity raises. While the ratio remains within regulatory limits, the trend indicates a potential need for capital raises, which could be dilutive if done at current valuations. Investors should monitor the firm's ability to manage leverage while maintaining dividend coverage.
Credit Quality at Scale Under Scrutiny
With aggressive originations of $222M in Q1 FY2027, non-accrual rates and PIK income levels warrant close monitoring, as per the latest quarterly data.
The rapid portfolio expansion may increase credit risk, especially in the lower middle market where companies are more vulnerable to economic downturns. The provision reversal of $14.9M in Q1 FY2027 suggests that management believes reserves are adequate, but this could be optimistic if the portfolio's credit quality deteriorates. Investors should watch for any uptick in non-accruals or PIK income as indicators of stress.
P/E Misleads Due to Provision Volatility
The P/E ratio of 13.18x is distorted by provision reversals and unrealized gains, which do not reflect recurring cash earnings, as per financial statements.
For BDCs, P/E can be misleading because net income includes non-cash items like unrealized appreciation/depreciation and provision reversals. A more appropriate metric is Price-to-Core Net Investment Income (Core NII), which strips out these fluctuations and focuses on recurring earnings available for dividends. Investors should use P/B and dividend yield in conjunction with Core NII to assess valuation.