FGI Worldwide LLC (www.FGIWW.com) (“FGI”), a global leader in the commercial finance industry, has announced the hiring of Greg McBride as Director, FGI Risk. Based out of the Chicago office, Mr. McBride will focus on originating new business opportunities for FGI’s credit insurance brokerage and risk advisory division by developing relationships throughout the Midwest.

Great Rock Capital, an asset-focused commercial finance company specializing in middle market lending, today announced the closing of a $46.3 million senior secured term loan for a fast-growing equipment management, leasing, and technology company.

Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc., the leading factoring, asset-based lending, purchase order financing, d2c and e-commerce inventory financing firm in the United States, today announced the completion of four factoring and asset-based lending transactions totaling nearly $30 million.

After 24 issuers defaulted in 2023, the default rate of the Morningstar LSTA Leveraged Loan Index climbed to 2.05% by issuer count at the end of December, from 1.94% in November. The default rate increased 137 basis points in 2023 from the end of 2022, when it stood at 0.68%, and it's now 179 bps above the record low rate of 0.26% recorded in both April 2022 and December 2007.

Iron Horse Credit (“IHC”), a leading inventory lender, is pleased to announce the closing of a $1,500,000 stand-alone inventory revolving line of credit to an online pet care and food retailer.

Ares Commercial Finance is pleased to announce that Ian Maccubbin has joined its Business Development and Underwriting teams as a Principal. Mr. Maccubbin will be based in Boston and will assist in covering the Northeast market, where he will have cross-functional business development and underwriting responsibilities.

North Mill Equipment Finance LLC (“NMEF”), a leading independent commercial equipment lender headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, raised $20,000 in charitable contributions through the holiday season. The proceeds will be distributed to Future 5, a platform that supports under-resourced high school students in Stamford, Connecticut, and Lucky Dog Refuge, a retreat for dogs in dire need of care.

Tradecycle Capital, an Indianapolis-based trade finance provider, announced it funded a new $3,000,000 revolving Accounts Payable funding facility for a distribution company that provides consumer products to travel centers, convenience stores and other retail outlets.

Audacy, the struggling multi-platform audio content company, has begun prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, the company announced Sunday.

Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, today announced the completion of its strategic growth investment in BlueMatrix, a leading end-to-end content creation and distribution platform for investment research providers.

eCapital Corp. (“eCapital” or “the Company”), a leading technology-enabled provider of financing to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across North America and the U.K., closed a $245 million increase to the syndicated bank line supporting its asset-based lending (ABL) group. The upsize brings the total facility size to $815 million.

Garnet Capital Advisors, a leading broker of loan portfolios, is excited to announce the addition of two new partners to their ownership structure: Magda Kielar and Andy Carlson. This elevation of two long-term Garnet professionals to partner level demonstrates Garnet Capital's continuing commitment to growth and innovation.

EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, a wholesale data center developer, owner and operator, today announced the completion of a $1.9 billion debt financing transaction to fund scalable development on its data center campus in Mesa, Arizona.

-Core Scientific, Inc. (OTC: CORZQ) ("Core Scientific" or the “Company”), a leader in high-performance blockchain computing data centers and software solutions, today announced it has pre-paid the outstanding balance on the debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing package provided by B. Riley Financial (NASDAQ: RILY), the Company’s DIP lender.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI), the global investment bank, announced today that both Dudley Baker and Kerr Robertson have joined the firm’s Healthcare Group as Managing Directors. Mr. Baker is based in Dallas covering healthcare information technology (HCIT), while Mr. Robertson is based in Charlotte, covering behavioral healthcare and other healthcare services.

Obra Capital, Inc. (“Obra”), an asset management firm with a specialized approach to alternative investing, today announced that Scott Macklin has been appointed Head of US Leveraged Finance. In this role, Macklin will be responsible for managing Obra’s CLO management platform, including driving investment strategy and portfolio construction, deal sourcing and execution, risk management and market research.

ING, Natixis CIB, and SMBC are the Coordinating Lead Arrangers and Green Loan Coordinators on the transaction. HSBC is a Joint Lead Arranger and Administrative Agent.

Sagard Healthcare – a biopharmaceutical royalty and credit investor – today announced several developments and milestones for the strategy, including the closing of a $250 million permanent credit facility and the completion of nearly $250 million of new investments.

NextDecade Corporation (NextDecade) (NASDAQ: NEXT) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, NextDecade LNG, LLC, has entered into a credit agreement with MUFG Bank, Ltd. as lender and administrative agent that provides for a $50 million senior secured revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) and a $12.5 million interest term loan (the “Interest Term Loan”).

Gateway Commercial Finance, LLC recently concluded an $800K Debtor in Possession (DIP) factoring arrangement for a long-standing Midwest Distributor, which has been a family-owned business for over 20 years.