Celtic Capital

What Celtic Capital does

Celtic Capital Corporation is a privately held, non-bank asset-based lender founded in 1982 and headquartered in Calabasas, California. It provides collateral-backed financing ranging from $500,000 to $8 million to small and mid-sized U.S. businesses—principally manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and B2B service providers—that cannot access traditional bank financing due to balance-sheet weakness, profitability challenges, rapid growth, covenant violations, or legal proceedings. The company underwrites against collateral quality and business performance rather than creditworthiness, and explicitly positions itself as a bridge product, with most clients transitioning back to conventional bank financing within two to three years.

The core product suite comprises four asset-based lending facilities: Accounts Receivable Financing (advancing up to 85–90% of eligible receivables), Inventory Financing (20–50% advance rates), Equipment Financing (up to 80% of Forced Liquidation Value), and Capital Expenditures loans (70% of purchase price, typically bundled into an A/R facility rather than standalone). Revenue is generated through interest and financing fees on borrowed balances; A/R and inventory lines behave as recurring, availability-scaling facilities billed monthly, while equipment and CapEx loans carry origination fees and term structures. Pricing is bespoke per borrower and not publicly disclosed. Differentiators cited include no financial covenants, no lockbox requirement, non-notification collection, senior-management involvement through closing, and ~30-day funding timelines. Technology is limited to service-delivery tools—a client portal (CelticLink) for account management, receivables uploads, and advance requests, plus an interactive A/R turnover calculator—none of which constitute proprietary lending technology.

Go-to-market is a direct, relationship-driven, sales-led model executed by regional Client Development Officers covering U.S. territories plus a national CDO, with nearly all new business sourced through a professional referral network of bankers, CPAs, attorneys, and consultants. The company operates nationally from a single Calabasas headquarters with regional sales presence across Southern California, Denver, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. Ownership combines management stakes held by President/CEO Mark Hafner and EVP/CCO Alexander Falo with equity backing from family office Fourshore Partners (since 2022), following a multi-decade sequence of bank ownership and management buyouts.

Name

Celtic Capital

Legal name

Celtic Capital Corporation

Website

https://celticcapital.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Celtic Capital is a non-bank asset-based lender providing $500,000–$8 million in receivables, inventory, equipment, and CapEx financing to non-bankable U.S. manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and service businesses, sourced largely through professional referral partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asset-Based Lending

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163)

akta.pro primary industry

Large-Cap / Sponsor Finance Direct Lending (FSANADAJ)

Keywords

• Asset-based lending
• Accounts receivable financing
• Inventory financing
• Working capital loans
• Small business financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Calabasas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Accounts Receivable Financing: Asset-based lending secured by outstanding invoices. Celtic Capital advances up to 85-90% of accounts receivable value. Interest and fees are charged on borrowed amounts. This is the primary revenue stream and core product offering.
2. Inventory Financing: Asset-based loans secured by inventory (finished goods, raw materials, unsold products). Lenders advance 20-50% of inventory value depending on industry and market conditions. Revenue generated through interest and financing fees.
3. Equipment Financing: Includes equipment refinancing (using existing equipment as collateral) and equipment-only financing (loans covering up to 80% of Forced Liquidation Value of company-owned manufacturing equipment or rolling stock). Revenue from interest rates and origination fees.
4. Capital Expenditures (CapEx) Financing: Loans for purchasing new equipment, structured at 70% of purchase price. CapEx loans are typically tied to A/R lines rather than offered as standalone facilities. Revenue from interest and financing fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Celtic Capital is a direct asset-based lender that funds small and mid-sized U.S. businesses through asset-secured working capital loans ranging from $500,000 to $8 million. The firm advances funds against accounts receivable (up to 85-90%), inventory (up to 50%), equipment (up to 80% of Forced Liquidation Value), and capital expenditures (up to 70% of purchase price), with no financial covenants and no lockbox requirements, targeting manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and service companies that cannot qualify for traditional bank financing.

Product overview

Celtic Capital is an asset-based lending company offering a suite of financing solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. The core offering consists of four main products: Accounts Receivable Financing (which unlocks working capital from outstanding invoices), Inventory Financing (leveraging stock as collateral), Equipment Financing (including refinancing and equipment-only loans up to 80% of FLV), and Capital Expenditures Financing (for purchasing long-term assets). These products are designed to work together, with CapEx loans typically bundled with A/R facilities. Celtic Capital also provides a Client Portal for online account management and an A/R Calculator tool. Financing amounts range from $500,000 to $8 million with no financial covenants and no lockbox requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounts Receivable Financing Asset-based lending that allows businesses to unlock working capital by using outstanding invoices as collateral. Celtic Capital advances up to 85-90% of accounts receivable value, with availability growing as business sales grow. Interest is calculated on the amount borrowed and the time the advance is held; no financial covenants and no lockbox are required. Targeted at small and mid-sized manufacturers, distributors, and service companies that cannot qualify for traditional bank financing.
• Inventory Financing Asset-based lending that lets businesses leverage inventory (finished goods, raw materials, or unsold products) as collateral for working capital. Celtic Capital advances 20-50% of inventory value depending on industry and market conditions; inventory must be non-obsolete and marketable. Designed for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers needing to fund inventory purchases or seasonal build.
• Equipment Financing Financing solutions for equipment upgrades, expansion, or refinancing, including equipment refinancing (using existing equipment as collateral) and equipment-only loans covering up to 80% of the Forced Liquidation Value (FLV) of company-owned manufacturing equipment or rolling stock housed in its own facility. Targets manufacturers and other asset-heavy SMBs needing capital tied up in plant equipment.
• Capital Expenditures (CapEx) Financing Financing arrangement for businesses purchasing long-term assets such as machinery, equipment, or vehicles, with loans structured at 70% of purchase price. CapEx loans are typically tied to A/R lines rather than offered as standalone facilities. For SMBs needing growth equipment without dilutive equity or restrictive covenants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% advance rate on accounts receivable, 50% on inventory, 80% of Forced Liquidation Value on equipment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Secured Finance Network (SFNet)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association (formerly Commercial Finance Association) where Mark Hafner served as President (2009) and Chairman (2010), and currently serves as Director and Executive Committee Member since 2000. Alex Falo held leadership positions including President (2014-2015) and Chairman (2016-2017) of SFNet Southern California.
• Celtic Capital Network (Professional Alliances)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of professional alliances including Business Planning and Strategy, Accounting and Financial Services, Tax Planning and Preparation, Corporate Structuring and Compliance, IT Solutions, Employee Benefit Planning, Insurance and Risk Management, Cash Flow Management, and Marketing and Sales Strategy professionals. Used to refer clients to top-tier specialists.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Emerging players

• BlueVine: BlueVine is a fintech-based working capital provider offering invoice factoring and lines of credit to SMBs through a digital application. It competes for the same underbanked borrower but with technology-led origination rather than Celtic's relationship-led model.

Direct peers

• TCI Business Capital: TCI Business Capital is a factor and ABL specialist focused on SMBs in the $500K-$10M range, with similar advance rates on receivables and inventory. The overlap in borrower profile, ticket size, and referral-driven origination makes it a near-direct comparator.
• White Oak Commercial Finance: White Oak Commercial Finance provides asset-based lending and factoring to mid-market and SMB borrowers across the US, directly competing in the same collateral-based financing niche as Celtic Capital with analogous advance-rate structures and covenant-lite terms.
• Triumph Business Capital: Triumph Business Capital is a commercial finance company providing factoring and asset-based lending solutions to SMBs in the manufacturing, distribution, and services sectors — directly overlapping Celtic's core segments and product suite.
• eCapital: eCapital is a direct alternative-finance lender to SMBs offering invoice factoring, A/R financing, and asset-based lending in similar $500K-$8M ticket sizes. Both are pure-play ABL originators focused on manufacturers and distributors that fall outside traditional bank credit boxes.
• Republic Business Credit: Republic Business Credit is a non-bank asset-based lender serving SMBs nationwide with receivables financing, inventory lending, and equipment financing, mirroring Celtic's product suite and 'non-bankable' SME target market.
• Great Lakes Business Credit: Great Lakes Business Credit is a regional asset-based lender focused on the Midwest with product offerings spanning A/R, inventory, and equipment financing at similar ticket sizes. Geographic and product overlap with Celtic's Midwest CDO footprint (Minneapolis, Cincinnati) makes it a relevant comparable.
• Prestige Capital Finance: Prestige Capital provides asset-based lending and factoring to small and mid-sized businesses across the US, with similar collateral structures and a focus on the same underbanked manufacturing and distribution borrowers that Celtic serves.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Western Bank (former parent): Pacific Western Bank (now part of First Citizens) previously owned Celtic Capital and continues to operate an asset-based lending practice. As a multi-billion-dollar commercial bank, it is a broad incumbent competitor in the same ABL category that Celtic operates in.
• Citizens ABL Group: Citizens Bank operates an asset-based lending group within its broader commercial banking platform, serving SMBs and mid-market borrowers with A/R and inventory facilities. As a much larger institution it competes for the same referrals but from a broad banking franchise rather than a specialist niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/celtic_capital
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLdH2qOPKCgLc7Od71A-f9w
• Facebookfacebook.com/celticcapitalco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/celtic-capital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Celtic Capital