vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC) and Chicago Atlantic BDC, Inc. (LIEN). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Hercules Capital, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($131.6M vs $2.5M, roughly 51.9× Chicago Atlantic BDC, Inc.). Hercules Capital, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 69.0% vs -6.5%, a 75.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Hercules Capital, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (14.6% vs -8.0%).

Hercules, Inc. was a chemical and munitions manufacturing company based in Wilmington, Delaware, United States, incorporated in 1912 as the Hercules Powder Company following the breakup of the DuPont explosives monopoly by the U.S. Circuit Court in 1911. Hercules Powder Company became Hercules, Inc. in 1966, operating under this name until 2008, when it was merged into Ashland Inc.

Chicago Atlantic BDC, Inc. is a publicly traded business development company that provides structured debt financing and select minority equity investments to small and mid-sized private companies across core U.S. sectors including healthcare, business services and industrial goods. It targets firms with stable operational track records to generate consistent risk-adjusted returns for its shareholders.

HTGC vs LIEN — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
HTGC
HTGC
51.9× larger
HTGC
$131.6M
$2.5M
LIEN
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
HTGC
HTGC
+22.6% gap
HTGC
14.6%
-8.0%
LIEN
Higher net margin
HTGC
HTGC
75.5% more per $
HTGC
69.0%
-6.5%
LIEN

Income Statement — Q4 2025 vs Q3 2024

Metric
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Revenue
$131.6M
$2.5M
Net Profit
$90.8M
$-165.0K
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
Net Margin
69.0%
-6.5%
Revenue YoY
14.6%
-8.0%
Net Profit YoY
47.8%
93.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.50
$-0.03

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$131.6M
Q3 25
$131.2M
Q2 25
$129.6M
Q1 25
$115.6M
Q4 24
$114.8M
Q3 24
$119.0M
$2.5M
Q2 24
$117.5M
$2.6M
Q1 24
$115.8M
$2.6M
Net Profit
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$90.8M
Q3 25
$119.7M
Q2 25
$78.9M
Q1 25
$50.3M
Q4 24
$61.4M
Q3 24
$68.7M
$-165.0K
Q2 24
$41.9M
$1.3M
Q1 24
$91.0M
$-1.0M
Net Margin
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
69.0%
Q3 25
91.3%
Q2 25
60.9%
Q1 25
43.6%
Q4 24
53.5%
Q3 24
57.7%
-6.5%
Q2 24
35.6%
50.1%
Q1 24
78.6%
-40.0%
EPS (diluted)
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$0.50
Q3 25
$0.63
Q2 25
$0.43
Q1 25
$0.29
Q4 24
$0.37
Q3 24
$0.42
$-0.03
Q2 24
$0.25
$0.21
Q1 24
$0.57
$0.08

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$56.9M
$30.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.2B
$82.5M
Total Assets
$4.6B
$89.3M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.03×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$56.9M
Q3 25
$29.3M
Q2 25
$52.1M
Q1 25
$49.4M
Q4 24
$42.7M
Q3 24
$38.9M
$30.1M
Q2 24
$27.7M
$34.0M
Q1 24
$50.2M
$33.2M
Total Debt
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$2.3B
Q3 25
$2.2B
Q2 25
$2.1B
Q1 25
$2.0B
Q4 24
$1.8B
Q3 24
$1.7B
Q2 24
$1.7B
Q1 24
$1.8B
Stockholders' Equity
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$2.2B
Q3 25
$2.2B
Q2 25
$2.2B
Q1 25
$2.0B
Q4 24
$2.0B
Q3 24
$1.9B
$82.5M
Q2 24
$1.9B
$84.3M
Q1 24
$1.9B
$84.5M
Total Assets
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$4.6B
Q3 25
$4.4B
Q2 25
$4.3B
Q1 25
$4.0B
Q4 24
$3.8B
Q3 24
$3.7B
$89.3M
Q2 24
$3.7B
$90.1M
Q1 24
$3.7B
$90.4M
Debt / Equity
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
1.03×
Q3 25
0.98×
Q2 25
0.96×
Q1 25
0.99×
Q4 24
0.89×
Q3 24
0.94×
Q2 24
0.94×
Q1 24
0.93×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-55.6M
$-2.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-55.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-42.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.61×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-425.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$-55.6M
Q3 25
$-3.2M
Q2 25
$-144.8M
Q1 25
$-222.2M
Q4 24
$-29.2M
Q3 24
$92.6M
$-2.3M
Q2 24
$59.5M
$2.5M
Q1 24
$-240.9M
$2.1M
Free Cash Flow
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
$-55.6M
Q3 25
$-3.2M
Q2 25
$-144.8M
Q1 25
$-222.2M
Q4 24
$-29.2M
Q3 24
$92.5M
Q2 24
$59.1M
Q1 24
$-241.2M
FCF Margin
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
-42.3%
Q3 25
-2.4%
Q2 25
-111.8%
Q1 25
-192.3%
Q4 24
-25.5%
Q3 24
77.7%
Q2 24
50.3%
Q1 24
-208.3%
Capex Intensity
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
0.0%
Q3 25
0.0%
Q2 25
0.0%
Q1 25
0.0%
Q4 24
0.0%
Q3 24
0.0%
Q2 24
0.3%
Q1 24
0.3%
Cash Conversion
HTGC
HTGC
LIEN
LIEN
Q4 25
-0.61×
Q3 25
-0.03×
Q2 25
-1.84×
Q1 25
-4.41×
Q4 24
-0.48×
Q3 24
1.35×
Q2 24
1.42×
1.92×
Q1 24
-2.65×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Related Comparisons