UBS Offers New Exchange-Traded Note

It began trading on NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol BDCL, and provides leveraged exposure to Business Development Companies through a single investment.  

“This new ETRACS 2xLeveraged Long Wells Fargo Business Development Company Index is particularly useful for investors seeking exposure to the BDC space and with 2X leverage, the Current Annual Leveraged Yield is 14.57%,” said Christopher Yeagley, Managing Director and US Head of Equity Structured Products, in the announcement.   

UBS explained that BDCs are public vehicles that invest in private equity and debt and were created to increase financing available to small businesses. They function much like private equity funds, although BDCs allow various investors, regardless of size, to participate. A BDC lends to small and midsized companies at high yield equivalent rates and often takes equity stakes in these companies.   

The Wells Fargo Business Development Company Index is comprised of 26 BDCs and is a float adjusted, capitalization-weighted index that is intended to measure the performance of BDCs that are publicly listed and satisfy specified market capitalization and other eligibility requirements.