Euro CLOs have better 2023 entry point than US in $140 billion issuance year: Barclays
CLO performance and issuance may have to wait until the second half of next year for improvement, say Barclays credit strategists in a 2023 outlook piece. But Europe could fare better than the US given starting levels in a year the market faces some challenging regulatory hurdles

Euro CLO new issuance could reach €22 billion in 2023, says BofA
European CLO new issuance will reach €22 billion in 2023, strategists at Bank of America expect, while refinancing / reset volume should reach €3 billion under a ‘base case’ scenario

Private equity firms are becoming CLO converts: TwentyFour
Private equity firms have increasingly bought CLO and other securitised debt tranches in recent weeks instead of their usual preference for physical assets - a trade TwentyFour believes "makes perfect sense"

Sofr away from me – basis puts new CLO triple As in dire straits
A relative value gap has opened between secondary and primary market CLO triple A tranches, with the former looking attractive as volatility heightens and the basis grows between Libor and Sofr. This presents an additional problem for managers hoping to do new business

Keep an eye on gaming, leisure and entertainment issuers in Euro CLOs, says BofA
CLO investors should be mindful of industry concentration exposure, with the gaming, leisure and entertainment sector an area of focus, according to Bank of America research released yesterday

Euro CLOs demonstrate "considerable resiliency" to upcoming CLO maturity wall, says S&P
Managers and investors should keep an eye on upcoming CLO maturity wall with “potential adverse effects” amid tighter financing conditions and the impact that could have on CLO performance and ratings

Euro CLO IG mezz tranches look attractive amid cap stack divergence: Barclays
European CLO IG mezzanine debt tranches are more attractive than triple As or double Bs, say strategists at Barclays, owing to greater dispersion and a lag in recovery.

Widening asset/liability gulf will hurt CLOs: Barclays
A mismatch between CLO asset / liability rate risk is increasing in the US as more leveraged loan issuers opt for one-month pay frequency, Barclays credit strategists have found

Short duration CLOs are putting reset risk in the post: Barclays
The CLO market’s recent trend of shorter duration issuance could be setting up a problem for managers down the line that will impact their equity returns, Barclays has warned

Euro double As and US triple As offer best value in CLOs: BNP Paribas
Secondary market double A rated tranches offer the best relative value in European CLOs’ capital structures, while US triple As in primary starting to look attractive, according to BNP Paribas credit strategists

CLO spreads are not pricing in recession: JP Morgan
CLOs are priced fairly for a growth slowdown but not a recession, according to JP Morgan credit strategists, who warn spreads are at risk if US growth contracts

Manager selection stakes are heightening as CLO pain points intensify: Barclays
CLOs’ slump in market value and piling of distressed assets have made differentiation between managers much more acute on key metrics, regionally and by vintage, according to Barclays credit strategists

CLO investors show more signs of optimism than other ABS: Barclays
CLO investors attending the Global ABS conference in Barcelona were more upbeat than those that work in residential mortgage-backed securities and other ABS, say Barclays securitised credit strategists. But the overall mood was sombre

CLO top stack offers best value versus corp debt after junior tranche rally: Barclays
Having lagged in the recent market recovery, CLO triple A paper looks attractive versus corporate investment grade and the CDX IG credit derivatives index

BofA revises Euro CLO new issuance forecasts downwards
Bank of America CLO strategists have cut their base case forecasts for European CLO volume in 2022 to €22.6 billion for new issues and €10 billion for refi/resets, citing slower economic growth and higher tail risks. But further market disruption could take new issuance down to €16.5 billion, they warned

CLOs look attractive after corporate rally - but not all tranches: Barclays
Rallying corporate cash credit spreads over the past two weeks have widened the basis with CLOs and made these products look attractive again, according to Barclays strategists

Hidden loan tail risks and mounting single B exposure could pose problem for CLOs: Barclays
A solid rally for leveraged loans this week - against returning weakness in bonds - has put focus back on the market, which seemingly has little tail risk priced in. But short term support factors and a dwindling triple C bucket mask the quality skew, warn Barclays strategists in a note today - which could spell downgrades for single-B minus rated loans

European CLOs well-placed to counter volatility: Fitch
High inflation could hamper borrowers, but European CLOs are in decent shape with most loan issuers having refinanced last year, according to a report by Fitch Ratings. Other parts of structured credit are not as well insulated against risks. 

CLO mezz investors are homing in on documentation: Morgan Stanley
European CLO mezzanine investors paid close attention to documentation over the past 12 months, with junior overcollateralisation test criteria, weighted average life extesions and approval for collateral quality key areas of focus, say Morgan Stanley strategists

CLO equity could get hurt by mismatch in credit spread adjustments: Barclays
The possibility that borrowers and sponsors start to use their clout to scrap credit spread adjustments from leveraged loans poses a risk for new CLO equity, while legacy deals also face transition challenges

Impact of Russia-Ukraine war on Euro CLOs will be indirect, finds BofA
European companies largely do not have much direct exposure to Russia or Ukraine, but pricing and inflationary pressures may impact companies

CLO investor cash balances at lowest levels since 2009: JP Morgan research
A survey conducted by JP Morgan has suggested that CLO investors' cash balances are at their lowest levels since 2009 - but most managers want to add risk in the coming months 

CLO lower cap stack will outperform with $175bn new issuance in 2022: JP Morgan
Equity and lower rated tranche investors will do best as $175 billion of global new CLO issuance arrives in 2022, predict JP Morgan strategists in their annual outlook, taking market size to $1.2 trillion

Sofr transition timing puts CLO debt and equity at odds, says BNP Paribas
CLO investors look to have tough conversations ahead on the structure implications of the transition from Libor to Sofr, with BNP Paribas strategists noting CLO debt will benefit from an early move while equity tranches would do better to wait

CLO demand to drive loan outperformance over bonds: BNP Paribas
The buying power of CLOs and funds could mean leveraged loans rally further and outpace high yield bonds, says BNP Paribas' credit research team