Hercules Capital Inc.’s HTGC fourth-quarter 2021 net investment income of 35 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 33 cents. However, the bottom line fell 5.4% from the year-ago quarter figure.The company recorded a fall in total investment income and higher expenses during the quarter. The balance sheet position remained strong and new commitments were robust.Net investment income was $40.4 million, down 4.3% year over year.In 2021, net investment income was $150 million or $1.29 per share, down from $157.1 million or $1.39 per share in 2020.Total Investment Income Down, Expenses RiseTotal investment income in the quarter under review was $72.5 million, down 3.8% from the year-ago quarter. The top line marginally lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $72.6 million.In 2021, total investment income declined 2.2% to $281 million.Total quarterly gross operating expenses rose 1.5% to $33.7 million. The rise was mainly due to an increase in total employee compensation costs.Portfolio Value & New Commitments SolidThe fair value of Hercules Capital’s total investment portfolio was $2.43 billion as of Dec 31, 2021.In the fourth quarter, the company delivered $947.8 million in gross new debt and equity commitments and realized early loan repayments of $425.8 million.Balance Sheet Position StrongAs of Dec 31, 2021, Hercules Capital’s net asset value was $11.22 per share compared with $11.26 as of Dec 31, 2020.The company had $627.7 million in liquidity, including $133.1 million of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and $494.6 million in credit facilities, as of Dec 31, 2021.At the end of the quarter, the weighted average cost of debt, comprising interest and fees, was 4.5%, down from 5.2% at the end of the prior-year quarter.Our TakeHercules Capital’s loan origination activity continues to be on track, which is likely to support top-line growth in the quarters ahead. However, as the company continues to undertake efforts to improve originations, expenses are expected to remain elevated. Hercules Capital, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Hercules Capital, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Hercules Capital, Inc. QuoteCurrently, Hercules Capital carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Earnings Dates Other Finance StocksFS KKR Capital Corp. FSK is slated to announce quarterly numbers on Feb 28.Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FS KKR Capital’s quarterly earnings has been unchanged at 62 cents, implying a 13.9% decline from the prior-year reported number.Horizon Technology Finance Corporation HRZN is scheduled to announce quarterly numbers on Mar 1.Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Horizon Technology Finance has been unchanged at 33 cents. This indicates a jump of 57.1% from the prior-year quarter reported number. Just Released: Zacks' 7 Best Stocks for Today Experts extracted 7 stocks from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys that has beaten the market more than 2X over with a stunning average gain of +25.4% per year. These 7 were selected because of their superior potential for immediate breakout. See these time-sensitive tickers now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Hercules Capital, Inc. (HTGC): Free Stock Analysis Report Horizon Technology Finance Corporation (HRZN): Free Stock Analysis Report FS KKR Capital Corp. (FSK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research