Chicago Atlantic BDC, Inc. Fair Value Disclosure
NOTE 4 — FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
ASC 820 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and establishes a fair value hierarchy based on the quality of inputs used to measure fair value and enhances disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The Company accounts for its investments at fair value. As of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company’s portfolio investments consisted primarily of investments in senior secured loans and secured notes. The fair value amounts have been measured as of the reporting date and have not been reevaluated or updated for purposes of these financial statements subsequent to that date. As such, the fair values of these financial instruments subsequent to the reporting date may be different than amounts reported.
The fair value determination of each portfolio investment categorized as Level 3 required the use of one or more unobservable inputs.
The use of significant unobservable inputs creates uncertainty in the measurement of fair value as of the reporting date. The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of the Company’s debt investments may vary and may include debt investments’ yield (i.e. discount rate). The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of the Company’s equity and warrant investments may vary and may include EBITDA multiples, revenue multiples and asset multiples.
The Company’s investments measured at fair value by investment type on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 were as follows:
|
|
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2025 Using |
|
|||||||||||||
Investment Type |
|
Quoted |
|
|
Significant |
|
|
Significant |
|
|
Total |
|
||||
First Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
292,719,497 |
|
|
$ |
292,719,497 |
|
Senior Secured Notes |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
37,473,499 |
|
|
|
37,473,499 |
|
Second Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,447,186 |
|
|
|
1,447,186 |
|
Warrants |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,171,605 |
|
|
|
1,171,605 |
|
Preferred Stock |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
333,311,787 |
|
|
$ |
333,311,787 |
|
|
|
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2024 Using |
|
|||||||||||||
Investment Type |
|
Quoted |
|
|
Significant |
|
|
Significant |
|
|
Total |
|
||||
First Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
239,860,206 |
|
|
$ |
239,860,206 |
|
Senior Secured Notes |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
34,656,192 |
|
|
|
34,656,192 |
|
Preferred Stock |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
Warrants |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
225,000 |
|
|
|
225,000 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
275,241,398 |
|
|
$ |
275,241,398 |
|
The following tables provide a summary of the significant unobservable inputs used to fair value the Level 3 portfolio investments as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024. The methodology for the determination of the fair value of the Company’s investments is discussed in “Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies”. Discount rate ranges are shown as spread over the U.S. Prime Rate ("PRIME"), Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") and/or U.S. Treasury Rates, as applicable, for senior secured first lien term loans, as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
Investment Type |
|
Fair Value |
|
|
Valuation |
|
Unobservable |
|
Range |
|
Weighted |
|
||
First Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
$ |
249,770,789 |
|
|
Discounted Cash Flow |
|
Discount Rate |
|
8.40% - 23.25% |
|
|
12.81 |
% |
First Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
|
42,948,708 |
|
|
Recent Transaction |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
Senior Secured Notes |
|
|
37,473,499 |
|
|
Discounted Cash Flow |
|
Discount Rate |
|
5.87% - 18.23% |
|
|
10.66 |
% |
Second Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
|
1,447,186 |
|
|
Discounted Cash Flow |
|
Discount Rate |
|
18.39% - 20.39% |
|
|
19.64 |
% |
Warrants |
|
|
826,250 |
|
|
Enterprise Value |
|
Revenue Multiple |
|
1.75x - 5.25x |
|
4.52x |
|
|
Preferred Stock |
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
Market Approach |
|
Current Value |
|
1.75x |
|
1.75x |
|
|
Warrants |
|
|
345,355 |
|
|
Option Pricing Model |
|
Volatility Factor |
|
49.00% - 72.00% |
|
|
51.51 |
% |
Total |
|
$ |
333,311,787 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Type |
|
Fair Value |
|
|
Valuation |
|
Unobservable |
|
Range |
|
|
Weighted |
|
|||
First Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
$ |
239,860,206 |
|
|
Discounted Cash Flow |
|
Discount Rate |
|
9.10% - 28.60% |
|
|
|
13.38 |
% |
|
Senior Secured Notes |
|
|
34,656,192 |
|
|
Discounted Cash Flow |
|
Discount Rate |
|
7.40% - 17.20% |
|
|
|
11.53 |
% |
|
Preferred Stock |
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
Market Approach |
|
Current Value |
|
2.5x |
|
|
2.5x |
|
||
Warrants |
|
|
225,000 |
|
|
Option Pricing Model |
|
Volatility Factor |
|
|
47.20 |
% |
|
|
47.20 |
% |
Total |
|
$ |
275,241,398 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Significant increases (decreases) in discount rate in isolation would result in a significantly lower (higher) fair value assessment. Significant increases (decreases) in volatility in isolation would result in a significantly lower (higher) fair value assessment.
The following tables provide a summary of changes in the fair value of the Company’s Level 3 portfolio investments for the year ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:
|
|
First Lien |
|
|
Senior |
|
|
Second Lien Senior Secured Loans |
|
|
Preferred |
|
|
Warrants |
|
|
Total |
|
||||||
Fair Value as of December 31, 2024 |
|
$ |
239,860,206 |
|
|
$ |
34,656,192 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
500,000 |
|
|
$ |
225,000 |
|
|
$ |
275,241,398 |
|
Purchases |
|
|
151,528,892 |
|
|
|
3,600,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,090,610 |
|
|
|
156,219,502 |
|
Accretion of discount and fees (amortization |
|
|
2,323,787 |
|
|
|
368,422 |
|
|
|
8,655 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2,700,864 |
|
PIK interest |
|
|
2,290,897 |
|
|
|
240,912 |
|
|
|
27,082 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2,558,891 |
|
Proceeds from sales of investments and |
|
|
(100,272,803 |
) |
|
|
(1,745,795 |
) |
|
|
(1,598,200 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(103,616,798 |
) |
Net realized gain (loss) on investments |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Net change in unrealized appreciation |
|
|
15,404 |
|
|
|
353,768 |
|
|
|
(17,237 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(144,005 |
) |
|
|
207,930 |
|
Transfers between investment types |
|
|
(3,026,886 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
3,026,886 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
Balance as of December 31, 2025 |
|
$ |
292,719,497 |
|
|
$ |
37,473,499 |
|
|
$ |
1,447,186 |
|
|
$ |
500,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,171,605 |
|
|
$ |
333,311,787 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Net change in appreciation/depreciation on |
|
$ |
(163,816 |
) |
|
$ |
353,768 |
|
|
$ |
(23,342 |
) |
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
(144,005 |
) |
|
$ |
22,605 |
|
|
|
First Lien |
|
|
Senior |
|
|
Preferred |
|
|
Warrants |
|
|
Total |
|
|||||
Fair Value as of December 31, 2023 |
|
|
46,006,000 |
|
|
$ |
8,114,000 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
54,120,000 |
|
Purchases |
|
|
209,436,202 |
|
|
|
30,336,610 |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
242,826 |
|
|
|
240,515,638 |
|
Accretion of discount and fees |
|
|
836,005 |
|
|
|
265,290 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,101,295 |
|
PIK interest |
|
|
679,962 |
|
|
|
63,813 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
743,775 |
|
Proceeds from sales of investments and |
|
|
(17,288,331 |
) |
|
|
(4,122,500 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(21,410,831 |
) |
Net realized gain (loss) on investments |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(74,483 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(74,483 |
) |
Net change in unrealized appreciation |
|
|
190,368 |
|
|
|
73,462 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(17,826 |
) |
|
|
246,004 |
|
Balance as of December 31, 2024 |
|
$ |
239,860,206 |
|
|
$ |
34,656,192 |
|
|
$ |
500,000 |
|
|
$ |
225,000 |
|
|
$ |
275,241,398 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net change in appreciation/depreciation on |
|
$ |
190,368 |
|
|
$ |
73,462 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
$ |
(17,826 |
) |
|
$ |
246,004 |
|
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mar 19, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Mar 31, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Mar 28, 2024 | |
About Fair Value Disclosures
Fair value disclosures classify all assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy: Level 1 (quoted market prices), Level 2 (observable inputs like yield curves), and Level 3 (unobservable inputs requiring management estimates). The proportion of Level 3 assets directly reflects how much of the balance sheet depends on internal models rather than market evidence.
Key signals: a growing Level 3 balance relative to total fair-value assets increases valuation uncertainty and earnings volatility risk. Watch for transfers between levels — assets moving from Level 2 to Level 3 often signal deteriorating market liquidity. Unrealized gains and losses on Level 3 positions flow through earnings or other comprehensive income, so large swings deserve scrutiny. For financial institutions, examine the sensitivity disclosures that show how Level 3 valuations change under alternative assumptions. Compare the fair value of debt against its carrying amount to gauge hidden leverage.