Stock fact sheet · data as of
Fidus Investment Corporation (FDUS): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Financial Services · Asset Management · United States · High Yield Income
Is FDUS undervalued?
Fidus Investment Corporation (FDUS) closed at 19.44 on 16 Oct 2026. The GLS average fair value - the simple average of the 7 valuation models that produced a positive number - is 38.42, which puts the price 49% below it. 5 of the 7 models value the shares above the current price. A gap this wide is rare in our universe of ~7,400 US stocks and is exactly what the Value part of the Wheel Score rewards; it is also where the question "why is it this cheap?" matters most.
The 7 models disagree widely: Lynch gives 8.15 while DCF gives 117.50. A spread that wide means the average is sensitive to which methods you trust; the model table below shows where each one lands, and the Quote page lets you switch any of them off.
The nightly engine files FDUS under High Yield Income: a dividend yield above 4%.
Nine valuation models for FDUS
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 117.50 | +504% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 29.86 | +54% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 32.86 | +69% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 8.15 | -58% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 18.10 | -7% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | - | - | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10%; no value tonight |
| Payback Time | - | - | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself; no value tonight |
| DDM | 39.88 | +105% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | 22.63 | +16% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -16.19 | -183% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 0.0000 | -100% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Financial health is average - FDUS passes 5 of the nine Piotroski tests, which falls one point short of the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule. The Financials tab on the Quote page shows which tests fail. The GLS Moat score is low at 3.5 out of 10, which says the ten-year record of revenue, earnings, margins and returns on capital has been inconsistent - growth and shocks rather than steady compounding.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 5.9%, ROE 11.1%, ROA 5.8% - with debt at 0.87 times equity and negative free cash flow.
The dividend yield is high at 13.94% (payout ratio 132%) - a payout above 100% of earnings, which is not covered by profits. A yield this size is often the market's way of pricing a risk to the payout, so the health score and cash flow matter more than usual.
Institutional ownership scores 3/10, insider activity 5/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 5 / 9 | ROIC | 5.9% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 3.5 / 10 | ROE | 11.1% |
| Debt / equity | 0.87 | ROA | 5.8% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | -26.9% | Payout ratio | 132% |
| Institutions | 3 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 5 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 70: Good
FDUS scores 70 out of 100 on the Wheel Score (Good band, 65-79). The score blends the margin of safety (Value, 25/25), Piotroski health (11/20), the GLS moat (5/15), the option premium on offer (18/20) and how easily the stock trades (10/20). Moat (5/15) is the part holding the score back.
Implied volatility is 33% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out: some premium, but under the 35-60% range the Wheel Score pays full marks for (18 of 20 points). Chain open interest is 3,580 contracts across all expiries - enough for the wheel at normal size.
Volume runs at 245k shares a day on a market cap of $738M, with a beta of 0.73 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 10 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 25 / 25 | 49% margin of safety | |
| Health | 11 / 20 | Piotroski 5/9 | |
| Moat | 5 / 15 | moat 3.5/10 | |
| Premium | 18 / 20 | implied volatility 33% | |
| Stability | 10 / 20 | 245k shares/day, $738M cap, beta 0.73 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
The next earnings report is due on 5 Nov 2026 (after the close), 20 days away; a 30-45-day put sold today would expire after it, which is worth weighing against the premium.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
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The 12 companies below are the closest to Fidus Investment Corporation by market cap within the Asset Management industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
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A free GLS Equity account gets you nightly fair value and the Wheel Score on ~7,400 US stocks, a watchlist, the scanner preview and the Sunday Scan - the same eight-rule screen, emailed every week. Pro adds the full put and call scanners, unlimited watchlists with alerts and the trade journal.
Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about FDUS
Is FDUS undervalued right now?
By the GLS models, yes: at 19.44 the stock is 49% below the average fair value of 38.42 (data as of 16 Oct 2026). Whether the discount is deserved is the question to research next.
What is the Wheel Score of FDUS and what does it mean?
FDUS scores 70 out of 100 (Good). The Wheel Score blends the margin of safety (25 points), Piotroski health (20), the GLS moat (15), the option premium on offer (20) and trading stability (20) into one number that ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned. 80 and above is Prime, 65-79 Good, 50-64 Fair, under 50 Weak.
What is the GLS fair value for FDUS?
38.42 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 7 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Fidus Investment Corporation report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 5 Nov 2026 (after the close), 20 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does FDUS have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 110 listed contracts with 3,580 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 33% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.