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

BofA revises global CLO new issuance forecasts upwards but refi/reset forecasts diverge
CLO strategists at Bank of America have boosted forecasts for European and US CLO 2021 new issuance volume for the second time this year. But projections for refi/reset volumes across the continent have been tweaked in two separate directions

CLOs stand to win from US capital cost refinement, says BofA
A move by US insurance regulators to refine the capital charge framework for structured products will make CLOs more attractive versus corporate bonds, according to Bank of America strategists

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

JP Morgan raises 2021 US CLO forecast to record $135 billion
JP Morgan's research desk has raised its US CLO new issue forecast for 2021 to $135 billion

ESG drive poses little threat to CLO returns or flexibility, says Moody's
Environmental, social and governance investment criteria are not impairing CLOs either in flexibility or performance, Moody's Investors Service has found in a new report

CLO investors still hungry for triple As and double Bs, says JP Morgan
Most CLO investors are looking to add risk through deals in the months ahead, with very few inclined to reduce exposure, a JP Morgan survey has found - despite the historic flood of issuance in the first quarter of this year

CLO equity ‘top trade’ could reach mid-teens returns, says JP Morgan
CLOs’ strong start to the year, in which the asset class has asset class has made gains against a sell off in government and corporate bonds, has put equity tranches on course for double digit returns in 2021, according to JP Morgan strategists

UN PRI's upcoming report on ESG in CLOs finds bar is very low
In a preview of the upcoming report, Carmen Nuzzo, head of fixed income at UN Principles for Responsible Investment, reveals to Creditflux key highlights from its ESG in securitisation report

BofA forecasts record European CLO volume in 2021 as another reset prices
Carlyle Group has become the first manager in March to reset a European CLO, while BofA estimates the European CLO market might break a new record in 2021

ESG growth in CLOs has momentum in 2021, say JPM strategists
ESG investing in securitised products such as CLOs have 'momentum for growth in 2021' despite very slow volume growth and lack of progress in standardised scoring over the past year, say JP Morgan strategists in a research note

AGL hires ex Wells Fargo CLO research head Preston
AGL Credit Management has hired former Wells Fargo CLO research head David Preston

Buy CLO equity to capitalise on reflation, says JP Morgan
CLO equity stands out in a tightly priced market as offering up to double digit yields, say JP Morgan structured credit strategists, who posit it as their top trade

Wells Fargo parts ways with star CLO research team
Wells Fargo is parting ways with its star CLO research team led by managing director David Preston

Senior bond-flex CLO tranches are 'cheapest bonds within securitised products': BofA
Triple A-rated notes of bond-flex CLOs are 'one of the cheapest bonds within securitised products', according to a new research paper by Bank of America

CRE CLOs show resilience to sector decline in office properties, says Moody's
Commercial real estate CLOs are protected against a sector decline in office properties, Moody's has said in new research. CRE CLOs have structural protections, while portfolio office properties are largely in lower-cost areas with diversified economies and tenants, it argues

European CLO portfolio overlap increases by 3%: S&P
European CLO portfolio overlap for new issue deals since mid-March has increased to 37.73%, according to a recent report by S&P, around 3% higher than the average of 36% for all European CLOs rated by S&P

Barclays increases European loan and CLO issuance forecasts
Barclays has increased its European leveraged loans issuance expectations due to “better than expected recovery in issuance from M&A and LBO activity”, while its European CLO 2020 issuance forecast increased to  €15 billion-€18 billion, up from a previous estimate of €12-15 billion

Size matters: exposure to small loan facilities worse than covid industries, says BofA
CLO managers that hold a higher portion of smaller sized facility loans in their portfolios have performed worse through the pandemic, according to a Bank of America research paper

Go for short-duration and high-end CLO paper, says JP Morgan
This year is shaping up to be nearly as weak for CLO new issuance as 2008, according to JP Morgan strategists, who recommend investors seek value in short duration double/triple A paper or in higher-tier triple/double B

CLO and distressed fund recovery disparity could grow, say Barclays
CLO investors should apply a haircut to the $55-60 loan recovery range to better estimate recoveries in CLO models, as the disparity between how distressed debt funds and CLOs extract value in a loan restructuring is expected to widen

Leveraged loan spreads to widen to March levels, warn UBS strategists
US leveraged loan spreads could widen back to March levels of 825 basis points as default risk increases, according to strategists at UBS.

US CLOs did not lose par in March, finds JP Morgan
A research paper from JP Morgan has estimated there was no US CLO par burn in March, although loss of par for the first quarter was 11%

CLO managers favour tech, cable and healthcare as loan downgrade fears dominate, finds JP Morgan
Picking safe sectors to buy in the coronavirus crisis is a tough call, but CLO managers variously favour technology, cable/satellite and healthcare, according to a JP Morgan survey. There is much more consensus on dumping autos, energy, gaming/lodging/leisure and retail

30% of CLOs will breach their 7.5% triple C buckets, says BofA
The number of CLOs tripping their 7.5% buckets for loans rated triple C is set to soar from 8% to around 30%, according to the latest research from Bank of America