1-3Q19 Sponsored loan volume off 48%; LBO volume at 3-year low Less than US$90bn in syndicated loan volume backing PE sponsor activity was completed in the US market in 3Q19, the third lowest quarterly total in the last three years, and a 30% drop year over year. In turn, less than US$265bn in sponsored loan…
1-3Q19 Leveraged issuance down 32%; Institutional volume at 5 year low The 3Q19 leveraged market logged just over US$245B of issuance, flat from year ago levels, to push 1-3Q19 totals to US$762B, the lowest nine month total in seven years. Most of the shortfall can be traced to hints of market stress which have contributed…
As Libor declines, Libor floors begin to trickle back As interest rates continue to decline, Libor floors are on investors’ minds once again. As of September 24, the 3-month Libor rate was 2.11%, 69bp below its 2018- year-end level. So far in 3Q19, the average Libor rate is 2.20%, down from 2.51% in 2Q19. If…
Sustainability-linked loan volume dominates Green-ESG pipeline Year to date, over US$83bn in global green and ESG linked loan volume has been announced, almost two times year ago levels. Of this total, over 80% or nearly US$67bn is in the form of sustainability or ESG linked loans. Amid global interdepence and heightened awareness of environmental risks…
Primary leveraged yields decline slightly in 3Q19 Primary yields have tightened slightly across rating levels so far in 3Q19. The main driver behind the decline in yields are falling Libor rates. At its current level of 2.13%, the 3-month Libor rate has dropped 19bp from 2.32% at the end of 2Q19. For single B issuers,…
Leveraged loan market expected to pick up amidst more volatile market backdrop Completed US leveraged loan volume totals US$105bn so far this quarter as lenders look for a pick-up in activity after the Labor Day holiday. 3Q19 leveraged issuance comprises US$59.8bn in new money volume with another US$45.3bn in refinancing volume. Refi activity has been…
Top US CLO retail holdings Top retail loan holdings in active US CLOs at the end of July include Albertson’s TLB, Bass Pro Shops TL and EG Group TL, with US$2.1bn, US$1.9bn and US$1.7bn of total issuer loan volume respectively. While loan debt of several defaulted retail issuers is still held in active CLOs, their…
Aided by an increase in junior debt, total leverage on large corporate US LBO loans increases to 7x this quarter LBO activity in the US syndicated loan market remains robust this quarter. 3Q19 completed and in process LBO volume totals over US$23bn as new money deals continue to be a driver of leveraged lending. Meanwhile,…
PE sponsors ramp up delay draw term loans in the U.S. middle market Over the last few years, sponsors have been ramping up the amount of delay draw term loans within their middle market M&A transactions. In 2Q19, LPC tracked US$3.1bn in delay draw term loan volume within middle market sponsored finance which is the…
Deals with no LIBOR floor or 0% floor decline slightly in July Libor rates have been on the decline this year. As of July 24, the 3-month Libor rate was 2.27%, 54bp below its 2018 year-end level. So far in July, the average Libor rate is 2.3% down from 2.51% in 2Q19. And investors might…