Direct lender hires head of credit as it closes in on European mid market CLO
BeSpoke Capital has made a big hire as part of a reorganisation of the direct lender’s business

New kids on the block dominate awards

DWS backs away from planned ESG-style European CLO
DWS has dropped plans to launch a European CLO, sources say. It is unclear why DWS, the asset management arm of Deutsche Bank, has turned its attention elsewhere, but one source says that the capital-intensive nature of putting together risk retention-compliant deals likely weighed on the firm. 

Barings shows way forward with BDC-sponsored CLO
The unusual move by Barings BDC to issue a US CLO suggests a new way for BDCs to lock in cheap financing and withstand volatility.

BMO makes rare CLO appearance with mid market deal
Greensledge has helped BMO Asset Management price its first middle market CLO since 2015

New investments drive Canada Pension Plan’s credit returns to 8.7%
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB)’s credit portfolio has delivered good returns during the 2019 fiscal year, despite the market volatility, according to the institution’s annual financial report  

Spire wins Creditflux Manager of the Year award
Spire Partners was the big winner at Creditflux's Manager Awards last night as the London-based manager scooped the award for the manager of the year. On top of this, the firm picked up awards for Best European CLO Manager and Best European CLO for Aurium CLO II

Prospect's $500 million CLO fund merges with Stira Alcentra global credit fund
Prospect Capital Management’s $500 million closed-end CLO fund has officially merged with a global credit fund managed by Alcentra and Stira

KKR and FS Investments' BDC platform markets new issue CLO
KKR and FS Investments’ business development company, FS KKR Capital Corp, is marketing a new issue CLO via Citi named FS KKR MM CLO 1

Continuous par build can provide a rainy-day fund for when downgrades to triple Cs pour in
If CLO managers are preparing for mass downgrades to triple C loans, then trading gains and thick OC cushions are the best defences

Carlyle and PSP join forces for mid market CLO
Middle Market Credit Fund - a joint venture between Canadian pension fund PSP Investments and Carlyle Group - priced its second middle market CLO

The Last Tranche: awards season is upon us [podcast]
A look at 2018 award offerings and finalist, plus some insight on direct lending and b-wics

Experience has taught me to be sceptical of second lien loans
Alex Jackson takes our credit quiz

CVC, Octagon and Spire vie for multiple Creditflux awards
Creditflux is pleased to unveil the finalists for the most prestigious awards dinner in the credit

Credit funds at a glance

A round-up of fundraising and people moves in credit

Finding the best managers, CLOs and direct lenders

GSO to add two North American offices in 2019
The credit manager anticipates the offices will help expand the firm’s origination efforts in North America

Churchill appoints head of underwriting
Churchill Asset Management has announced several promotions including head of underwriting and managing director, underwriting and portfolio management

Mid market CLO round-up: eyes (wide) open as mid-market CLOs re-awaken
AB returned to the middle market CLO space this week after a year out to price ABPCI V. It is the second middle market CLO of the year after Fortress Investment Group refinanced Fortress Credit Opportunities VII. 

AB returns to CLOs by pricing 2019's first mid-market new issue
AB Private Credit Investors, the middle market credit arm of AB, has become the first manager to price a new issue CLO backed by mid-market loans in 2019

It’s going to be a credit picker’s market
Our panel of experts believe that the credit market will be volatile this year, but there will be opportunities in European credit and additional tier one bonds, trups CDOs and unitranches

CLO manager base to boom as four debut managers plan first-quarter launch with JP Morgan top choice of arranger
The US CLO market welcomed four new managers in 2018, but this year the same number could be launching in just the first quarter

Carlyle performance dips in Q4, but credit teams ride global volatility
Credit fund performance dipped for the Carlyle Group in the fourth quarter, as market volatility and fund outflows put a dent in the industry’s much stronger performance of the previous three quarters