Prospect Capital Reports Operating Results of 38 Cents per Share for Quarter Ended December 31, 2010


NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - February 9, 2011) - Prospect Capital Corporation (NASDAQ: PSEC) ("Company" or "Prospect") today announced financial results for our second quarter ended December 31, 2010.

For the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, the increase in net assets resulting from operations was $31.9 million and $57.5 million, respectively, or $0.38 per share and $0.73 per share, respectively. For the three months ended September 30, 2010, the increase in net assets resulting from operations was $25.6 million or $0.34 per share.

Our operating results increased 24.9%, and our operating results per share increased 10.1% from the quarter ended September 30, 2010 to the quarter ended December 31, 2010. This increase is primarily due to our sale of Miller Petroleum, Inc. common stock, which generated a $5.4 million realized gain. New and follow-on investments of $137.6 million closed in the December 2010 quarter.

Our net investment income ("NII") was $19.1 million and $19.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively, or $0.23 per share and $0.33 per share, respectively. Our NII was $40.1 million and $31.6 million for the six months ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively, or $0.51 per share and $0.59 per share, respectively.

The primary source of the higher NII per share in 2009 is our recognition of a gain on the Patriot acquisition of $8.6 million in December 2009. Also affecting NII per share is the accelerated accretion of original purchase discounts of $4.6 million recognized in the quarter ended December 31, 2009. During the quarter ended September 30, 2010, we recognized $2.7 million of accelerated accretion of original purchase discounts. No accelerated accretion of original purchase discounts was recognized in the quarter ended December 31, 2010. If these two sources of adjustment to NII per share were removed and adjustments made for the related effects on advisory fees, NII per share would have been $0.23 per share and $0.15 per share for the three months ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively, and $0.48 per share and $0.39 per share for the six months ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

We anticipate NII per share will increase as we utilize prudent term leverage to finance our growth through new originations, given our debt to equity ratio stood at only approximately 17% as of December 31, 2010. We estimate that our net investment income for the current third fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2011 will be $0.24 to $0.30 per share.

Our net asset value per share on December 31, 2010 stood at $10.25 per share, an increase of $0.01 per share from September 30, 2010.

Earlier today, we declared our 31st, 32nd, and 33rd consecutive cash distributions to shareholders, as follows:

10.1150 cents per share for February 2011 (record date of February 28, 2011 and payment date of March 31, 2011); and

10.1175 cents per share for March 2011 (record date of March 31, 2011 and payment date of April 29, 2011); and

10.1200 cents per share for April 2011 (record date of April 29, 2011 and payment date of May 31, 2011).

HIGHLIGHTS

Equity Values:
  Net assets as of December 31, 2010: $903.2 million
  Net asset value per share as of December 31, 2010: $10.25

Second Fiscal Quarter Operating Results:
  Net investment income: $19.1 million
  Net investment income per share: $0.23
  Dividends declared to shareholders per share: $0.302625

Year-to-date Operating Results:
  Net investment income: $40.1 million
  Net investment income per share: $0.51
  Dividends declared to shareholders per share: $0.604000

Second Fiscal Quarter Portfolio and Portfolio Activity:
  Portfolio investments in quarter: $140.9 million
  Total portfolio investments at cost at December 31, 2010: $886.1 million
  Total portfolio investments at market at December 31, 2010:
   $918.2 million
  Number of portfolio companies at December 31, 2010: 58

PORTFOLIO AND INVESTMENT ACTIVITY

During the six months ended December 31, 2010, we originated $281.9 million of new investments. Our origination efforts recently have focused primarily on secured lending, including a higher percentage of first lien loans than in recent prior fiscal quarters, though we also continue to close selected junior debt and equity investments. In addition to targeting investments senior in corporate capital structures with our new originations, we have also increased our new investments in third party private equity sponsor owned companies, which tend to have more third party equity capital supporting our debt investments than in non-sponsor transactions.

As a result of these credit risk management initiatives, our portfolio's annualized current yield stood at 14.1% across all long-term debt and certain equity investments as of December 31, 2010. Non-recurring distributions of other equity positions that we hold is not included in this yield calculation. In many of our portfolio companies, we hold equity positions, ranging from minority interests to majority stakes, which we expect over time to contribute to our investment returns.

At December 31, 2010, our portfolio consisted of 58 long-term investments with a fair value of $918.2 million, compared to 57 long-term investments with a fair value of $830.2 million at September 30, 2010. In the December 2010 quarter, we completed new and follow-on investments aggregating more than $137.6 million, sold one investment and received repayment on four investments.

On October 12, 2010, we made a senior secured debt investment of $32.5 million in ICON Health & Fitness, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of branded health and fitness equipment.

On October 29, 2010, Castro Cheese Company, Inc. repaid our $7.7 million loan in full.

On November 3, 2010, TriZetto Group repaid our $15.5 million loan in full.

On November 12, 2010, we made a senior subordinated debt investment of $15.0 million in Snacks Holding Corporation, a leading manufacturer and marketer of dried fruits and trail mixes.

On November 29, 2010, we made a senior subordinated debt investment of $14.0 million in Royal Adhesives & Sealants LLC ("Royal"), a leading producer of proprietary, high-performance adhesives and sealants. On December 13, 2010, we made a follow-on debt investment of $11.0 million in Royal.

On December 1, 2010, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. repaid our $12.0 million loan in full.

On December 3, 2010, we exercised our warrants in Miller Petroleum, Inc. ("Miller") and received 2,013,814 shares of Miller common stock. On December 27, 2010, we sold 1,397,510 of these shares at $3.95 net proceeds per share, realizing a gain of $5.4 million.

On December 10, 2010, we made a $30.0 million secured second-lien loan to American Gilsonite Company ("AGC") for a dividend recapitalization. Concurrent with the financing, we received repayment of our prior loan as well as a $2.1 million dividend from our equity ownership of AGC.

On December 23, 2010, we made a secured second-lien debt investment of $15.3 million in Jordan Healthcare Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of home healthcare services in Texas.

On December 23, 2010, we made a senior secured investment of $18.3 million in VPSI, Inc., a leading market share transportation services company.

Several new investments that we anticipated closing prior to December 31, 2010 were delayed by counterparties when the expiring lower federal tax rates were extended. The subsequent closing of these delayed loans has increased our level of origination activity during the current quarter ending March 31, 2011. Since December 31, 2010, we have closed on seven additional investments aggregating more than $154 million, received repayment on one investment, and sold our remaining equity in one investment.

On January 6, 2011, we made a senior secured debt investment of $30.0 million to support the acquisition of Progressive Logistics Services, LLC by a middle market private equity firm.

On January 10, 2011, we made a senior secured debt investment of $19.0 million to support the acquisition of Endeavor House by Pinnacle Treatment Centers, Inc.

On January 10, 2011, we sold our remaining 616,304 shares of Miller common stock, realizing $4.23 of net proceeds per share, realizing a gain of $2.6 million.

On January 21, 2011, we provided senior secured credit facilities of $28.2 million to support the acquisition of Stauber Performance Ingredients, by ICV Partners. Through February 9, 2011, we have funded $26.5 million of the commitment.

On January 24, 2011, Maverick Healthcare, LLC repaid our $13.1 million loan in full.

On January 31, 2011, we made a senior secured debt investment of $7.5 million to support the recapitalization of Empire Today, LLC, the second largest independent provider of carpet and hard surface flooring to consumers in the residential replacement flooring industry.

On February 3, 2011, we made a senior secured debt investment of $22.0 million to support the recapitalization of a pharmacy services company by a leading private equity firm. Through February 9, 2011, we have funded $20.5 million of the commitment.

On February 4, 2011, we made a secured second-lien debt investment of $45.0 million to support the refinancing of Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership, a leading premium seafood company based in Nova Scotia, Canada.

On February 9, 2011, we made a net follow-on investment of $3.0 million in The Copernicus Group, Inc. that increased our total investment to $22.5 million.


We have now closed more than $500 million of new investments over the past ten months. Our investment pipeline currently aggregates more than $1.0 billion of potential opportunities. Primary investment activity in the marketplace increased during the second half of 2010 and has continued into calendar year 2011. Our pipeline of potential investments remains robust, with additional originations expected to close in the current quarter. These investments are primarily secured investments with double digit coupons, sometimes coupled with equity upside through co-investments or warrants, and diversified across multiple sectors.

We are pleased with the overall stability of the credit quality of our portfolio, with many of our companies generating year-over-year and sequential growth in top-line revenues and bottom-line profits.

LIQUIDITY AND FINANCIAL RESULTS

On December 21, 2010, we issued $150 million in aggregate principal amount of five-year unsecured 6.25% Senior Convertible Notes Due 2015 (the "Notes"). The Notes are convertible into shares of Common Stock at an initial and December 31, 2010 conversion rate of 88.0902 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes, which is equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $11.352 per share of Common Stock, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. The conversion rate for the Notes will be increased if monthly cash dividends paid to common shares exceed the rate of $0.101125 per share, subject to adjustment.

Interest on the Notes is paid semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15, at a rate of 6.25% per year, commencing June 15, 2011. The Notes mature on December 15, 2015 unless converted earlier. The Notes are general unsecured obligations of Prospect, with no financial covenants, no technical cross default provisions, and no payment cross default provisions with respect to our revolving credit facility.

The Notes have no restrictions related to the type and security of assets in which Prospect might invest. The issuance of these five-year notes has allowed us to grow our investment program in calendar year 2011 and commit to loans with maturities longer than our existing revolving credit facility maturity. These Notes have an investment grade S&P rating of BBB.

On June 11, 2010, we held a first closing of an extension and expansion of our revolving credit facility (the "Facility") with a syndicate of lenders who extended commitments of $210 million under the Facility. The Facility includes an accordion feature, which, with the amendment completed on January 13, 2011, allows commitments to increase to up to $400 million without the need for re-approval from the existing lenders. Since June 30, 2010, we have closed on an additional $75 million in commitments with one existing and three additional new lenders, raising the total commitment under the Facility to $285 million. We seek to add additional lenders to the Facility in order to reach the maximum size. While we are optimistic about these planned Facility size increases, we cannot guarantee them. The amendment signed in January also allows for larger loans to be pledged to the facility and provides a mechanism for pledging loans on an expedited basis.

As we make additional investments, we generate additional availability to the extent such investments are eligible to be placed into the borrowing base. The revolving period of the Facility extends through June 2012, with an additional one year amortization period (with distributions allowed) after the completion of the revolving period. Interest on borrowings under the Facility is one-month Libor plus 325 basis points, subject to a minimum Libor floor of 100 basis points, representing a significant decrease in financing cost for us compared to our prior facility. The unused portion of the Facility has a fee equal to either 75 basis points (if at least half of the Facility is used) or 100 basis points (if less than half of the Facility is used). The Facility has been and we believe will be used, together with our equity capital, to make additional long-term investments. The Facility has an investment grade Moody's rating of A2.

With the issuance of the Notes in late December, we repaid the revolving balance on the Facility in full. As of February 9, 2011, we had deployed all of the proceeds from the Note issuance and we had borrowed $31.1 million under our Facility. Our available liquidity as of today is currently in excess of $245.0 million for new investments.

Our at-the-market stock distribution program has proven to be a cost effective source of new equity capital to fund investment activity. During the second quarter ended December 31, 2010, we continued our at-the-market program, completing the third such program (which was initiated on September 24, 2010) in the quarter and embarking on a fourth program on November 10, 2010.

Under our third at-the-market program, we issued 4,929,556 shares of our common stock at an average price of $9.86 per share, raising $48.6 million of gross proceeds, from October 1, 2010 through November 3, 2010.

Under our fourth at-the-market program, we issued 4,513,920 shares of our common stock at an average price of $10.00 per share, raising $45.1 million of gross proceeds, from November 16, 2010 through December 15, 2010. No shares have been sold under this program since December 15, 2010.

Our modestly leveraged balance sheet is a source of significant strength. Our debt to equity ratio currently stands at approximately 20%. Our equitized balance sheet also gives us the potential for future earnings upside as we prudently look to utilize and grow our existing revolving credit facility and add additional secured and unsecured term facilities, made more attractive by our investment grade ratings at corporate, Facility and Notes levels.

CONFERENCE CALL

The Company will host a conference call on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The conference call dial-in number will be 877-317-6789. A recording of the conference call will be available for approximately 30 days. To hear a replay, call 877-344-7529 and use passcode 448180.


                    PROSPECT CAPITAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
                        December 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010
                  (in thousands, except share and per share data)


                                                 December 31,    June 30,
                                                    2010          2010
                                                 -----------   -----------
                                                 (Unaudited)    (Audited)
Assets
Investments at fair value:
  Control investments (cost of $235,729 and
   $185,720, respectively)                       $   264,228   $   195,958
  Affiliate investments (cost of $65,815 and
   $65,082, respectively)                             74,709        73,740
  Non-control/Non-affiliate investments (cost of
   $584,524 and $477,957, respectively)              579,284       478,785
                                                 -----------   -----------
    Total investments at fair value (cost of
     $886,068 and $728,759, respectively)            918,221       748,483
                                                 -----------   -----------

Investments in money market funds                    132,194        68,871
Cash                                                   4,019         1,081
Receivables for:
  Interest, net                                        8,420         5,356
  Dividends                                                2             1
  Other                                                  350           419
Prepaid expenses                                         250           371
Deferred financing costs, net                         12,105         7,579
Other assets                                             534           534
                                                 -----------   -----------
    Total Assets                                   1,076,095       832,695
                                                 -----------   -----------

Liabilities
Credit facility payable                                   --       100,300
Senior Convertible Notes                             150,000            --
Dividends payable                                      8,900         6,909
Due to Prospect Administration                           317           294
Due to Prospect Capital Management                     9,787         9,006
Accrued expenses                                       2,639         4,057
Other liabilities                                      1,262           705
                                                 -----------   -----------
    Total Liabilities                                172,905       121,271
                                                 -----------   -----------

Net Assets                                       $   903,190   $   711,424
                                                 ===========   ===========

Components of Net Assets
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share
 (200,000,000 and 100,000,000 common shares
 authorized, respectively; 88,115,382 and
 69,086,862 issued and outstanding,
 respectively)                                   $        88   $        69
Paid-in capital in excess of par                     988,897       805,918
Distributions in excess of net investment
 income                                              (18,369)       (9,692)
Accumulated realized losses on investments           (99,579)     (104,595)
Unrealized appreciation on investments                32,153        19,724
                                                 -----------   -----------
Net Assets                                       $   903,190   $   711,424
                                                 ===========   ===========

Net Asset Value Per Share                        $     10.25   $     10.30
                                                 ===========   ===========





                    PROSPECT CAPITAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
                      CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
         For the Three and Six Months Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
                  (in thousands, except share and per share data)
                                   (Unaudited)


                                      For The               For The
                                 Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended
                                    December 31,          December 31,
                                --------------------  --------------------
                                   2010      2009        2010      2009
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------
Investment Income
Interest Income:
  Control investments (Net of
   foreign withholding tax of
   $0, ($52), $0, and ($19),
   respectively)                $    5,428 $   5,052  $   10,617 $   9,643
  Affiliate investments              3,524     1,539       6,474     2,388
  Non-control/Non-affiliate
   investments                      18,410    11,948      39,192    21,343
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------
    Total interest income           27,362    18,539      56,283    33,374
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------

Dividend income:
  Control investments                2,300     4,160       4,050    10,360
  Non-control/Non-affiliate
   investments                       1,068        --       1,508        --
  Money market funds                     3        10           7        28
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------
    Total dividend income            3,371     4,170       5,565    10,388
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------

Other income:
  Control investments                   14        75       1,785        75
  Affiliate investments                  7        --         154        --
  Non-control/Non-affiliate
   investments                       2,546       385       4,725       849
  Gain on Patriot acquisition           --     8,632          --     8,632
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------
    Total other income               2,567     9,092       6,664     9,556
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------
  Total Investment Income           33,300    31,801      68,512    53,318
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------

Operating Expenses
Investment advisory fees:
  Base management fee                4,903     3,176       9,179     6,385
  Income incentive fee               4,769     4,816      10,018     7,896
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------
    Total investment advisory
     fees                            9,672     7,992      19,197    14,281

Interest and credit facility
 expenses                            2,261     1,995       4,522     3,369
Legal fees                             170       390         480       390
Valuation services                     231       153         448       273
Audit, compliance and tax
 related fees                          265       239         481       501
Allocation of overhead from
 Prospect Administration               840       840       1,640     1,680
Insurance expense                       72        63         143       126
Directors' fees                         64        64         128       128
Other general and
 administrative expenses               645       807       1,398       994
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------
  Total Operating Expenses          14,220    12,543      28,437    21,742
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------

  Net Investment Income             19,080    19,258      40,075    31,576
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------

Net realized gain (loss) on
 investments                         4,489   (51,229)      5,016   (51,229)
Net change in unrealized
 appreciation (depreciation) on
 investments                         8,371    17,451      12,429    (1,245)
                                ---------- ---------  ---------- ---------

  Net Increase (Decrease) in Net
   Assets Resulting from
   Operations                   $   31,940 $ (14,520) $   57,520 $ (20,898)
                                ========== =========  ========== =========

Net increase (decrease) in net
 assets resulting from
 operations per share:          $     0.38 $   (0.25) $     0.73 $   (0.39)
                                ========== =========  ========== =========
Dividends declared per share    $     0.30 $    0.41  $     0.60 $    0.82
                                ========== =========  ========== =========





                    PROSPECT CAPITAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY
                      ROLLFORWARD OF NET ASSET VALUE PER SHARE
          For the Three and Six Months Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
                                (in actual dollars)
                                   (Unaudited)


                                      For The               For The
                                 Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended
                                --------------------  --------------------
                                December   December   December   December
                                31, 2010   31, 2009   31, 2010   31, 2009
                                ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Per Share Data:
Net asset value at beginning
 of period                      $   10.24  $   11.11  $   10.30  $   12.40
Net investment income                0.23       0.33       0.51       0.59
Net realized gain (loss)             0.05      (0.89)      0.06      (0.95)
Net unrealized appreciation
 (depreciation)                      0.10       0.30       0.16      (0.02)
Net decrease in net assets as a
 result of public offerings         (0.06)     (0.01)     (0.16)     (0.79)
Net increase in net assets as
 a result of shares issued
 for Patriot acquisition               --       0.08         --       0.13
Dividends declared and paid         (0.31)     (0.82)     (0.62)     (1.26)
                                ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Net asset value at end of
 period                         $   10.25  $   10.10  $   10.25  $   10.10
                                =========  =========  =========  =========


ABOUT PROSPECT CAPITAL CORPORATION

Prospect Capital Corporation (www.prospectstreet.com) is a closed-end investment company that lends to and invests in private and microcap public businesses. Our investment objective is to generate both current income and long-term capital appreciation through debt and equity investments.

We have elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). We are required to comply with a series of regulatory requirements under the 1940 Act as well as applicable NASDAQ, federal and state rules and regulations. We have elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Failure to comply with any of the laws and regulations that apply to us could have an adverse effect on us and our shareholders.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, whose safe harbor for forward-looking statements does not apply to business development companies. Any such statements, other than statements of historical fact, are highly likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under our control, and that we may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual developments and results are highly likely to vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and we undertake no obligation to update any such statement now or in the future.