Stewards, Inc. Enters $1.5M Short-Term Secured Bridge Loan

What Happened Stewards, Inc. (SWRD) announced on Sept. 4, 2026 (agreement dated Sept. 2, 2026) that it entered into a Promissory Note and a related Security Agreement with Accretiv Investment Holdings Inc. for a secured, short-term bridge loan with an original principal amount of $1,500,000. As of the filing date the lender had not yet advanced the funds; the Company’s payment obligations under the Note arise only upon actual receipt of immediately available funds. The Note makes the principal due on Sept. 21, 2026 (a firm outside date, not extendable) and also requires a fixed return of $75,000 (5% of the original principal) payable by Nov. 30, 2026.

Key Details

• Loan amount: $1,500,000 (not yet funded as of filing); principal due Sept. 21, 2026 (no extension).
• Fixed return: $75,000 (5% of principal), earned upon funding and payable by Nov. 30, 2026; principal and fixed return are independent.
• Security: continuing junior security interest in substantially all personal property (accounts, equipment, inventory, intangibles, etc.), expressly subordinate to existing senior liens (including liens securing up to $5,000,000 of secured convertible notes dated July 27, 2026).
• Remedies and penalties: full recourse to the Company (no personal guaranties), liquidated damages of $200,000 upon payment default, and default interest at 18% per annum or the maximum lawful rate; lender’s remedies subject to senior lien rights.
• Related-party note: the Note requires amounts actually received from Stewards International Funds PCC (Stewards Private Credit Fund, a related party) to be applied first to the Note’s obligations unless the lender agrees otherwise; this does not create a first-priority security interest.

Why It Matters This filing notifies investors that Stewards has a short-term financing arrangement that could provide immediate liquidity if funded, but carries short repayment deadlines, a non-prorated 5% fee, and significant default penalties. The lien is explicitly junior to existing senior debt (including up to $5M of convertible notes), which limits the new lender’s priority on collateral. Because the loan had not been funded as of the 8-K date and obligations only begin on funding, investors should watch for subsequent disclosures confirming funding, repayment, or any extensions or defaults.