In addition to the transactions discussed above, during the three months ended September 30, 2021, WhiteHorse Finance transferred assets comprised of two new portfolio companies, three add-ons and the remaining portions of four previously transferred deals totaling $45.7 million to STRS JV in exchange for a net investment in STRS JV of $9.4 million as well as cash proceeds of $36.3 million.
WHF STRS Ohio Senior Loan Fund LLC
As of September 30, 2021, STRS JV’s portfolio totaled $239.0 million, consisted of 27 portfolio companies and had a weighted average effective yield of 8.0% on its portfolio.
Results of Operations
For the three months ended September 30, 2021, the Company’s net investment income was approximately $7.6 million, compared with approximately $5.9 million for the same period in the prior year, representing an increase of approximately 28.8%. The increase in net investment income for the year-over-year period was primarily attributable to accelerated accretion and nonrecurring fee income recognized due to higher repayment activities as well as lesser capital gains incentive fee accrued, and partially offset by higher interest expense incurred due to higher leverage balances for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. For the three months ended September 30, 2021, the Company’s investment in STRS JV generated an annualized, gross investment yield of approximately 12.6%.
For the three months ended September 30, 2021, core net investment income(3) was $7.8 million, or $0.372 per share, compared with $7.8 million, or $0.380 per share, for the same period in the prior year.
For the three months ended September 30, 2021, WhiteHorse Finance reported net realized and unrealized gains on investments and foreign currency transactions of $0.6 million. This compares with net realized and unrealized gains on investments and foreign currency transactions of $15.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020. The decrease for the year-over-year period was primarily attributable to higher prior-year unrealized gains generated on markups in the portfolio as a result of the market’s continuing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
WhiteHorse Finance reported a net increase in net assets resulting from operations of approximately $8.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021, which compares with a net increase of $21.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020.
WhiteHorse Finance’s net asset value was $323.7 million, or $15.46 per share, as of September 30, 2021, as compared with $319.6 million, or $15.42 per share, as of June 30, 2021.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of September 30, 2021, WhiteHorse Finance had cash and cash equivalents of $16.6 million, as compared with $17.8 million as of June 30, 2021, inclusive of restricted cash. As of September 30, 2021, the Company also had $25.4 million of undrawn capacity under its revolving credit facility.
Distributions
The Company's Board of Directors has declared a distribution of $0.355 per share with respect to the quarter ending December 31, 2021. The distribution will be payable on January 4, 2022 to stockholders of record as of December 20, 2021. In addition, previously on October 14, 2021, the Company declared a special distribution of $0.135 per share, which will be payable on December 10, 2021 to stockholders of record as of October 29, 2021.
On August 9, 2021, the Company declared a distribution of $0.355 per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, consistent with distributions declared for the thirty-sixth consecutive quarter since the Company's initial public offering. The distribution was paid on October 4, 2021 to stockholders of record as of September 20, 2021.
Distributions are paid from taxable earnings and may include return of capital and/or capital gains. The specific tax characteristics of the distributions will be reported to stockholders on Form 1099-DIV after the end of the calendar year and in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Conference Call
WhiteHorse Finance will host a conference call to discuss its third quarter results at 2:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 9, 2021. To access the teleconference, please dial 877-876-9177 (domestic and international) approximately 10 minutes before the teleconference's scheduled start time and reference Conference ID #WHFQ321. Investors may also access the call on the investor relations portion of the Company’s website at www.whitehorsefinance.com.