Ares grows credit 34% with direct lending boost, but high yield takes rough ride in Q4
Ares Management Corporation reported strong returns for its European direct lending strategies in the fourth quarter of 2018. But the firm's overall revenues slumped and its US loan funds and high yield strategies were hit by the volatile credit market 

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

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

Private credit managers are partially insulated from daily market moves — for them it’s the dough, not the Dow
If asked about credit investing, Yogi Berra might have said take the fork in the road leading to private credit, says our columnist Randy Schwimmer

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

Performing credit tops distressed credit for Blackstone, but credit AUM declines
The firm is looking to boost its direct lending business to gain $10 billion of available capital over the next couple of years

Activist nominates directors to Alcentra BDC's board amid "shareholder value" dispute
Activist group Stilwell is seeking board representation for the $248.6 million BDC, as Alcentra "fails to maximise shareholder value"

San Francisco pension plans to deploy $800 million to private credit in 2019
San Francisco Employee’s Retirement System will allocate $800 million to its private credit bucket in the coming year, to reach its 10% target allocation 

Orchard wraps up fundraising for $2.5 billion structured credit and special opportunities fund
Orchard Global Asset Management has held a $2.5 billion final close for its structured credit and special opportunities fund,

IAM closes senior debt fund at C$843 million
IAM Private Debt Group, the private debt business of Integrated Asset Management Group, has closed its sixth private debt fund at C$843 million ($634 million)

Churchill reaches halfway to $1.5 billion hard cap for loan fund
Churchill Asset Management has raised at least $746.5 million for its second middle market loan fund

Neuberger Berman nears final close for private credit fund at $1.5 billion
The New York-based manager has raised at least $1.57 billion for its third direct lending fund

New Energy increase target size for infrastructure credit fund
New Energy Capital has increased its infrastructure credit fund’s target size by $100 million following strong capital fundraising, US regulatory filings reveal

San Francisco pension assigns $75 million to evergreen private credit fund
A New York-based direct lender has won a $75 million mandate from San Francisco Employees' Retirement System, who are looking to deploy  $4.5 billion and partner with up to 25 private debt managers over the next six years

BlackRock BDC seeks shareholder approval to fast-track leverage increase
BlackRock TCP Capital Corp has become the latest business development company to seek shareholders’ approval to double its use of leverage

New York pension fund allocates €250 million to European credit manager
A $207.4 billion pension fund has awarded the mandate to a multi-strategy credit fund managed by EQT Partners 

First Eagle lands $100 million for first direct lending fund since NewStar purchase
The New York-based manager has raised $100 million for the new vehicle, following the sale of NewStar’s $2.4 billion loan portfolio to Blackstone’s credit arm GSO Capital Partners

Minnesota pension slates $200 million to private credit after strong returns over Q3 2018
Minnesota State Board of Investments has awarded a $200 million commitment to two private credit managers

Ares starts 2019 with a bang, closing US senior direct lending fund at $5 billion
Ares Capital Management has held a final close for its US senior direct lending fund with $5 billion total capital available

BC Partners buys into KCAP business development company
BC Partners has agreed to take over management of business development company KCAP Financial from KCAP Financial Advisors

Crestline holds $800 million final close for US direct lending fund
The fund is thought to target an 11-13% net internal rate of return, employing up to 1.5x leverage

Direct lender Twin Brook hires managing director in Chicago
The middle-market direct lender has expanded its team with the hire of a managing director