Ares Strategic Income Fund Reports Unregistered Share Sale, NAV & Distribution Update

What Happened
Ares Strategic Income Fund filed an 8‑K on Sept. 22, 2026 reporting that during September 2026 it sold 297,543 Class I common shares in an unregistered transaction (finalized Sept. 22) for $8.0 million at the Fund’s NAV. The filing also disclosed the Fund’s NAV and portfolio and announced monthly distribution amounts for September through December 2026. NAV per share for all classes was $26.74 as of August 31, 2026; aggregate NAV was approximately $10.4 billion and the portfolio fair value was about $21.8 billion.

Key Details

• Unregistered sale: 297,543 Class I shares issued in September 2026 for total consideration of $8.0 million (purchase price = NAV as of Aug. 31, 2026).
• NAV & balance sheet (as of Aug. 31, 2026): NAV per share $26.74 (all classes); aggregate NAV ≈ $10.4B; portfolio fair value ≈ $21.8B; debt outstanding ≈ $11.9B; debt-to-equity 1.15x (1.12x net of ~$351M cash). ~ $4.1B available to borrow under credit facilities (subject to restrictions).
• Distributions: monthly gross distribution of $0.21430 per share for Sept–Dec 2026. Sept record date Sept. 30, 2026 (payable on or about Oct. 23); Oct/Nov/Dec record dates Oct. 30, Nov. 30, Dec. 31 with payment dates ~Nov. 20, Dec. 24, Jan. 25, 2027. Net amounts differ by class due to servicing/distribution fees (Class I net = $0.21430; Class S net = $0.19562; Class D net = $0.20881 for Sept).
• Performance & portfolio mix: Since inception through Aug. 31, 2026 Class I annualized total return = 9.97%, outperforming the Morningstar LSTA US Leveraged Loan Index by 161 bps; Aug. 2026 monthly total return for Class I = 1.07%; annualized distribution rate for Class I = 9.62% (as of Aug. 31, 2026). Portfolio: 810 companies; 77.2% first‑lien senior secured loans; 92% floating‑rate debt; senior secured loans ≈79% of investments.
• Offering status: publicly offering up to $15.0B of common shares. To date (registered + private placements) 444,525,134 shares issued for total consideration of ~$12.13B.

Why It Matters
This 8‑K gives investors updated, concrete figures on the Fund’s capital activity (an $8M private Class I share sale), current NAV, leverage, liquidity capacity and ongoing monthly distribution policy. Key takeaways: the Fund is substantially leveraged (debt ≈ $11.9B) but reports significant borrowing capacity ($4.1B) and a large portfolio fair value ($21.8B). The declared monthly distributions (same gross amount across classes) and reported performance figures (notably Class I’s inception‑to‑date return) are important for income-focused investors, though distributions are not guaranteed and fees reduce net payouts for Class S and D shares.