EQUUS Total Return, Inc. (EQS) is a business development company, listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol 'EQS'. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, this venture capital firm primarily focuses on investing in small to mid-sized companies either on the brink of growth or underperforming and in need of financial or operational enhancement.
The firm has a diversified investment portfolio that encompasses different sectors such as energy, real estate, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing technologies. It offers developmental assistance and financing solutions to these businesses to help enhance their growth and performance. As the name suggests, EQUUS Total Return, Inc. adopts a total return investment approach. Total return is an investment strategy that focuses on more than just capital appreciation—it likewise takes into account dividend income and interest.
EQUUS Total Return, Inc. is characterized by a dynamic and flexible investment strategy. It employs long-term and short-term strategies for investments, depending on the potential of the investment. Its investment decisions are made after a comprehensive evaluation of a company's potential for success and profitability. By following this methodical approach, EQUUS Total Return, Inc. ensures that its investments are secure, promising, and advantageous.
The management team at EQUUS Total Return, Inc. is made up of experienced and skilled professionals who have years of experience in investment, management, and consultation. The team is led by Kenneth Ira Moore, who serves as the Chairman. Other essential roles filled are Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and several Directors. Each team member plays a pivotal role in delivering the firm's commitment, ensuring that portfolios effectively achieve their intended objectives.
In recent years, EQUUS Total Return, Inc. has gained substantial recognition for its contribution to small and mid-sized businesses' growth. Simultaneously, it is not without challenges, similar to other firms in the venture capital and private equity industry. Since portfolio companies are often at the development or growth stages, they can carry heightened levels of risk.
Yet, the strategic and methodical approach that EQUUS Total Return, Inc. employs helps mitigate these risks and consistently strive towards long-term capital appreciation and income for its shareholders. This combined approach shows EQS’s commitment to creating a strong and diverse portfolio that delivers robust returns, underscoring its reputation as a reliable and prolific business development company.
Income statement
Balance sheet statement
Cash flow statement
Current assets / Current liabilities
Equity / Debt / Cash
Dividends
Activist shareholder Howard Todd Horberg has filed a Schedule 13D in Equus Total Return, Inc. (NYSE: EQS), criticizing the company's long-term underperformance, excessive executive compensation, and lack of independent oversight. Horberg, who owns 5.61% of EQS, calls for immediate board accountability, a suspension of automatic salary escalators, and an independent strategic review, including a potential merger or acquisition, to unlock shareholder value. He highlights persistent net investment losses, a significant decline in net asset value, and inadequate director ownership as evidence of poor stewardship under current management.
Activist shareholder Howard Todd Horberg has launched a public campaign against Equus Total Return, Inc. (EQS), citing significant value destruction, excessive executive compensation, and poor board oversight. Horberg, holding a 5.61% stake, demands immediate reforms ahead of the June 30 annual meeting, highlighting a 65% drop in NAV, five consecutive years of net investment losses, and a "going-concern" warning. He proposes suspending automatic salary increases, conducting an independent strategic review, and obtaining a third-party appraisal of the company's main illiquid asset.
Activist shareholder Howard Todd Horberg has filed a Schedule 13D against Equus Total Return, Inc. (NYSE: EQS), citing persistent challenges in generating shareholder value, including five consecutive years of net investment losses and no dividends since 2009. Horberg, who owns 5.61% of the company, is calling for immediate board accountability, an independent compensation review, and a strategic evaluation of the business through a merger or acquisition ahead of the June 30 annual meeting. He argues that executive compensation is excessive and independent directors lack meaningful stakes, leading to what he perceives as a failure in governance.