Beyond structural pressures, liquidity mismatches, and conflation with large cap strategies, the most fundamental question for any credit investor: What is the actual risk of losing money?
Structural protections are built into core middle market (CMM) loans because they are illiquid and intended to be held to maturity. Unlike large cap cov-lite deals, CMM loans have financial covenants testing borrowers’ ongoing performance, meaning that lenders get early warning and intervention rights before the asset reaches the point of impairment...
Quote of the Week
“While there are signs of pressure in certain [private credit] segments, overall levels remain relatively contained and continue to track below those in the broadly syndicated loan market.” – Stephen A. Boyko, Proskauer (Bloomberg News).
Featuring Charts
Chart of the Week: At Any Rate
Default metrics aren’t created equal. How a default is defined and measured can tell very different stories — so knowing what’s behind the number matters as much as the number itself. Source: BofA Global Research.
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Chart of the Week: Queue Here
Investor education is becoming critical as quarterly redemption limits are being tested. Source: Data is derived from publicly available information, including U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
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Chart of the Week: Ex Uno, Plures
Unlike the US, private credit began as one entity and morphed into many states. Source: Apollo Outlook For Public and Private Markets (April 2026)
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Chart of the Week: Different Strokes
Core and LMM portfolio overlap has remained relatively stable over the past decade. Source: Company filings and Raymond James research
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Chart of the Week: Leverage Takeover
Middle market buyout financings increasingly dominated by direct lenders. Source: LSEG LPC. Middle Market LBO volume.
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Chart of the Week: Perception is Reality
Investors bombarded with scary headlines worrying less about real private credit risks. Source: PitchBook
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Features
Octus: Private Credit & Deal Origination Insights – 5/4/2026
Cross-BDC Analysis Shows 73 bps of Additional Nonaccrual Exposure at Cost (2.18% Adjusted vs. 1.45% Reported) For access to the full analysis and underlying data please visit here or reach out to kim.giancaspro@octus.com… Subscribe to Read MoreAlready a member? Log in here...
Middle Market & Private Credit – 5/4/2026
U.S. Banks Increase Private Credit Disclosures Amid Continued Scrutiny Click here to learn more. U.S. bank disclosures regarding private credit exposures improved in the first quarter of 2026, although inconsistencies relative to regulatory reporting remain an area for improvement, according to Fitch Ratings. Several large banks provided additional detail on lending to business development companies…
The Pulse of Private Equity – 5/4/2026
Interval and tender offer fund net flows ($B) by strategy Download PitchBook’s Report here. Evergreen fund assets essentially doubled from 2022 to 2025…. Subscribe to Read MoreAlready a member? Log in here...
Leveraged Loan Insight & Analysis – 5/4/2026
US CLO issuance totaled US$6.2bn in April, the lowest since December 2023 New-issue US CLO volume amounted to US$6.2bn in April via 14 deals, down from US$18.1bn raised from 38 deals during March…. Subscribe to Read MoreAlready a member? Log in here...
Bloomberg: Leveraged Lending Insights – 4/27/2026
US Leveraged Loan Issuance Continues Decline in April New issuance continued to trickle in this April, with just $25.06b priced through the 29th, down approximately 15% form last month’s figure of $29.6b and amounting to the lowest level of issuance since April 2025 when just $7.9b priced following “Liberation Day” tariffs…. Subscribe to Read MoreAlready
Middle Market Deal Terms at a Glance
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Beginning in July 2022 The Lead Left published a series of articles on credit market. This report consolidates those articles.
Cov-lite trends Inflation & rising interest rates – LIBOR to SOFR transition Mega-tranche uni trend ESG takes center stage Login to view interactive report and download PDF version. … Subscribe to Read MoreAlready a member? Log in here Related posts: 2H 2021 Midyear Outlook Report State of the Capital Markets – Fourth Quarter 2016 Review and
Beginning in September 2021 The Lead Left published a series of articles on supply chain. This report consolidates those articles.
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