BlueTorch's Genda details direct lending flows and pricing as he ramps up new fund
BlueTorch Capital has witnessed a 20% pickup in dealflow since covid-19 but, while the company's portfolio has avoided retailers, airlines and hotels, it has not gone unscathed, said chief executive officer Kevin Genda

US pension gains 6.5% in three days after putting $350 million into credit
Marathon, Waterfall, ArrowMark and Columbia were allocated $350 million from a US pension for structured credit, Talf and high yield mandates

Global direct lending fundraising plummets in Q1
Global direct lending fundraising figures plummeted in the first quarter as coronavirus-related volatility kicked in. Managers raised just $9.4 billion raised across 11 funds compared to $18.6 billion across 15 in Q1 2019, according to Creditflux's fund database

Aero lands $414 million final close on aircraft leasing fund
Aero Capital Solutions has collected $414 million for its second mid-life aircraft leasing fund, holding a final close for the fund on 6 March

Virginia pension allocates $850 million to credit in Q1
Virginia Retirement System has allocated $850 million to three credit strategies in the first quarter of the year, according to an update at its 15 April investment committee meeting

Neuberger Berman eyes $500 million fundraise for CLO opportunity fund
Neuberger Berman has become the latest manager to launch a CLO opportunity fund with the New York-headquartered manager looking to raise $500 million for the vehicle

Tennessee pension awards $125 million to special situations credit fund
Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System has awarded $125 million to a special situations credit fund 

General Atlantic teams up with Tripp Smith for $5 billion distressed debt fund
Private equity firm General Atlantic has partnered with GSO founder Tripp Smith to launch a $5 billion distressed debt fund to provide financing to covid-19 affected companies, according to the Wall Street Journal

Bardin Hill pulls in $300 million for first close of opportunistic credit fund
Bardin Hill has held a first close on an opportunistic credit fund at around $300 million, according to sources familiar with the matter

Axiom bets on 2002-style credit recovery with crossover fund launch
Axiom Alternative Investments is readying to launch a fund aimed at generating returns from the dislocation and revival of European and US credit as the coronavirus pandemic develops

Former JP Morgan credit prop trader relaunches credit hedge fund
Palm Lane Partners is relaunching – two years after the credit hedge fund manager looked to spin out of JP Morgan Asset Management

Texas pension allocates $100 million to Apollo credit hedge fund
Employees’ Retirement System of Texas has allocated $100 million to open-ended long-short credit fund, according to its March update 

US pension earmarks $35 million for mezzanine debt fund
Arkansas Teachers Retirement System has earmarked $35 million to a mezzanine debt and equity strategy managed by Greyrock Capital Group

Golub becomes second BDC to undertake rights offering this week
Golub Capital has become the second business development company to undertake a rights offering this week, following in the footsteps of Bain Capital, as BDCs seek capital to ride out challenges besetting the market from the coronavirus pandemic 

You wait 12 years for loan dislocation and $1 trillion comes along all at once
The waiting is over — distressed debt managers have the best entry point in about a dozen years as the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index plunged to 80 in just two weeks.

Bain uses rights offerings as unusual route to raise cash for BDC
Bain Speciality Finance is looking to raise additional capital through a rights offering to “further strengthen its balance sheet” and “provide additional flexibility to support existing portfolio companies over the coming months”, chief executive officer Michael Ewald said in an open letter to shareholders on Monday

Balance Point collects $1.1 billion for lower mid-market direct lending
Balance Point Capital has collected $1.1 billion on its fourth direct lending fund focused on the lower middle market, Balance Point Partners IV

Three CLO investors win mandates from US insurer
New York State Insurance Fund has selected 11 credit managers to invest around $1 billion across corporate loans, high yield bonds and CLO tranches, according to documentation seen by Creditflux. Three  of these mandates are geared towards CLOs 

Ohio pension injects $175 million into credit via JP Morgan and HPS
The School Employees Retirement System of Ohio has made a $175 million commitment to two strategies; high yield and direct lending

Private credit managers re-examine docs in new fundraising approach
Private credit managers are facing numerous challenges and those looking to fundraise have had to change the way they approach the process, including documentation, according to a note from DLA Piper

Churchill collects $2 billion for second unlevered US direct lending fund
Churchill Asset Management has held a $2 billion final close on its second US direct lending fund, doubling its original $1 billion target size

Managers get creative as private credit fundraising set for Q2 dent
Private credit funds should expect a slowdown in fundraising as credit markets gyrate wildly and investors address issues in their public market strategies. But managers have been coming up with creative solutions to keep business flowing

Alcentra prepares listed credit fund
BNY Mellon Investment Advisor has teamed up with affiliate Alcentra to launch a listed fund that can invest across a range of credit strategies

Californian pension allocates $325 million to aviation and corporate private credit
San Francisco County Employees’ Retirement System has allocated $325 million to private credit strategies, according to 11 March board minutes

Solar raises $525 million for direct lending fund
Solar Capital Partners has collected $525 million for its latest private credit funds