Who predicted $145 billion of issuance?
That went better than expected: US risk retention came in, and $145 billion of global new issuance later, it’s clear that CLOs aren’t disappearing. By Tanvi Gupta and Sam Robinson

Manager activity spreads across US
In 2016, there were 83 CLO managers active in the US; by the end of 2017 there were 121

Managers pick spots on CLO curve
As refi volumes slowed through 2017, the term curve for CLOs steepened, leading managers to vary their deal tenors as they sought to hit the evolving sweet spot.

CLO managers return to new issues
The frenetic pace of refis and resets slowed in the third quarter as CLO managers – new and old – turned their attention to building assets

Genesis of a CLO desk
On the 10-year anniversary of Genesis CDO I, Creditflux analyses the development of Deutsche Bank’s structured credit desk. By Hugh Minch

Investors prefer direct lending to CLOs
For the first time in the history of Creditflux’s credit allocator survey, investors have voted direct lending the best investment in credit. CLOs came joint second. By Michelle D’souza

Finding horizontal and vertical angles
2017 CLOs where managers hold a vertical strip have higher spread portfolios and higher leverage than those with a horizontal risk retention investment. By Tanvi Gupta

Chance encounter sets up CIFC sale
Selling a business can be arduous, frustrating and nerve-wracking. An exhaustive process does help – but sometimes it takes a bit of luck for a deal to go through

CLO managers like range of options
.

Spread decline makes style vital
It’s not the number of CLOs you manage, it’s how you manage them: with 62 US firms pricing CLOs this year, managers are keen to stand out from the crowd

CLO boom encourages new ideas
Volumes are up, spreads are down and risk retention is a doddle. That must mean it’s time to push the boat out and innovate

Leading fund: Lupus Alpha CLO Opportunity Notes I
Single-B CLO trades boost Lupus Alpha asset Management

Refinancing and reset options change the face of CLOs
The CLO market is going into overdrive, with refis, resets and new issue deals combining to give investors an unprecedented choice of maturities.

It pays to eat your own cooking
CLO managers affiliated with PE firms buy extra debt from companies owned by those firms – and it seems to give them an advantage

Things aren’t always what they seem
Buy CLO triple As but don’t be fooled by diversity scores; take a look at credit index futures if you need liquidity; and watch out for quasi-mid market loans appearing in CLOs

Investing ethically is worth it
Managers could see less volatile returns as a result of their increasing adoption of ESG-friendly portfolios; meanwhile direct lending is spreading across Europe

Who cares about risk retention?
Managers watching CLO spreads reach their tightest levels since the crisis had little time to fret about US risk retention

Boutique CLO managers boss secondary market
Creditflux analysis shows that, when their total assets are taken into account, small managers' CLOs are more liquid than those of large managers 

Move up the stack to avoid implosion
Pundit warns investors to be concerned about return of their principal – but senior loans may be a safe haven as credit yields are squeezed and high yield becomes crowded

Heading tighter into uncertainty
Tightening loan spreads are making the job of a CLO manager harder in both the US and Europe. But credit volatility could be on the horizon

A quarter of living dangerously
After a desperate start to 2016, CLO issuance recovered in March as loan prices rallied – but collateral values are still deteriorating

Citi takes 2012 arranger crown
Citi once again led the way in a big year for CLO issuance. But the bank had to shake off some stiff competition in the fourth quarter.

The prudent choice
Managers at Pramerica Fixed Income (which is called Prudential outside the UK) believe it has the scale and track record needed to secure replacement mandates