<TABLE> <S> <C>
<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000817473
<NAME> AMERICAN CAPITAL STRATEGIES, LTD.
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START> DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1.000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 401,980
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 486,242
<RECEIVABLES> 13,308
<ASSETS-OTHER> 3,503
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 3,113
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 509,600
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 57,039
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 4,707
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 61,746
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 380,391
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 24,677
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 18,252
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2,457
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 89,583
<NET-ASSETS> 447,854
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 293
<INTEREST-INCOME> 23,839
<OTHER-INCOME> 2,279
<EXPENSES-NET> 6,294
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 20,117
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 235
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 11,971
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 0
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 17,195
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 6,409
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 16
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 30,543
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 4,245
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 6,294
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 379,800
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 17.08
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.96
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.64
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.94
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 18.15
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.017
</TABLE>
