Daniel Loeb’s Third Point agrees to acquire Birch Grove
Billionaire Daniel Loeb’s Third Point said it will acquire AS Birch Grove from American Securities, in a move designed to expand the hedge fund's credit capabilities, according to a press release

UBS forecasts strong private credit returns in 2025, but also downside risks
UBS Global Research has tipped double-digit returns for US investors in its 2025 private credit outlook, but emphasised the risks are skewed to the downside

Barings hires Churchill MD for private debt originations
Barings Global Private Finance has hired a managing director from Churchill Asset Management to serve as a managing director for North America Private Credit

BlackRock resets middle-market deal from 2022
BlackRock has reset a middle-market deal called BlackRock Maroon Bells MM CLO, simplifying the top of the deal’s structure in the process

BlackRock launches first evergreen private markets fund for Europe’s wealthy
BlackRock has announced the launch of an innovative evergreen private markets platform for wealthy investors in Europe

HPS deal is expensive but catapults BlackRock into private credit top five
BlackRock is poised to become one of the largest private credit managers in the world after agreeing to buy private credit manager HPS Investment Partners at a rich 30x multiple

Public Pensions, Private Pursuits: 18th November
CalPERS reveals USD 2.9bn private credit commitments as Sacramento, East Bay, San Francisco refine debt strategy

Brookfield Credit invests USD 1bn in 17Capital
Brookfield Asset Management’s private credit investment division, Brookfield Credit, has agreed to invest USD 1bn into 17Capital’s private credit strategies

Crayhill nears USD 1bn target for an asset-based credit fund
Crayhill Capital Management has raised more than USD 830m, approaching its USD 1bn target, for a asset-based credit fund called Principal Strategies Fund III, according to a SEC filing 

LPs monitor private credit managers as PIK use rises
As the use of payment-in-kind in direct lending increases, LPs are worried that the tool is being co-opted by the wrong strategies and offered to low-quality borrowers

The second Trump presidency is likely to turbocharge already frothy markets
The impact of Trump’s second term in the Oval Office will be wide-ranging for the US and the world. For credit markets, his return to power portends more intense competition between banks and private credit, and frothier deals.

Fortress Credit prints its second new middle-market CLO of 2024
The senior triple-As priced at 159bps in Fortress' second private credit CLO, a full 61bps tighter than the manager's previous deal back in January 

Barings adds two private credit MDs for North America
Barings Global Private Finance has hired two managing directors, Brian Polomsky and Doug Koch, for its North America Private Credit team from Principal Asset Management

Antares sets new AAA tight for a middle-market CLO (again)
Antares beat its own triple-A benchmark when it priced Antares CLO 2024-6 with a senior spread of SOFR plus 156bps

PIK use rises to 12% of sponsored direct lending deals - KBRA
Sponsor-backed companies using payment-in-kind for senior debt now account for 12% of the KBRA DLD Direct Lending Index, an increase of 1% from the last quarter

Direct lending defaults decline for all except middle market according to Proskauer
Default rates for US direct loans declined to 1.95% in the third quarter of 2024 from 2.71% in the second quarter, according to a new report from law firm Proskauer

First Eagle resets middle-market CLO
A reset of Lake Shore MM CLO IV, a 2021 vintage middle-market CLO, saw the triple As split into note and loan tranches, which both priced at 170bps

TPG Angelo Gordon raises nearly USD 2bn for private credit strategy
TPG Angelo Gordon has raised USD 1.82bn so far for its private credit fund called TPG AG Credit Solutions Fund III which is targeting USD 4.5bn in commitments
   

Apollo raises USD 4.8bn for large cap direct lending
Apollo Global Management has closed its Apollo Origination Partnership Fund II, raising approximately USD 4.8bn of investable capital

BNP Paribas AM raises EUR 90m for private debt fund of funds
A new fund of funds from BNP Paribas AM will target European special situations by investing in 6 to 8 private debt funds 

Fidelity adds another senior private debt hire as US expansion continues
Fidelity Investments has hired Lendell Thompson from Vista Credit, the latest of six senior investment professionals added to its US direct lending business

Private credit stands its ground against stiff competition from banks – Market Chatter
Despite an initial wave of fretting and fanfare, direct lenders have largely managed to retain an edge by proactively cutting margins on loans

Desperate direct lenders kept in the dark as private equity firms call shots
The intensifying fight for sparse private credit opportunities is enabling M&A bankers to keep lenders in the dark

MidCap resets brings in middle market CLO senior spreads 110bps
Apollo affiliate MidCap Financial's reset of a static middle market CLO from 2023 led to an eye-catching reduction in the triple-A spreads   

A new manager debuts as Willow Tree prices middle-market CLO
The CLO world welcomed a new manager on Tuesday when Willow Tree Credit Partners printed its debut CLO: a middle-market deal arranged by GreensLedge