As we discussed in our Best Practices in Private Credit series, portfolio construction is everything. With little way out short of refinancings or company sales, how these loans perform will reflect directly on investor returns, not how they trade. This puts the onus on portfolio managers to select not just the highest-quality issuers, but the […]
The Magnificent Seven, representing 40% of the Nasdaq 100, is an extreme example of industry concentration. The market cap of Nvidia alone was $3 trillion at one point, vying with Apple and Microsoft as the world’s most valuable company. So much for diversification. Great when tailwinds are supporting that sector, but when they’re not you […]
Partnering with top-tier private equity firms also creates alignment with more defensive, growth-oriented sectors. Not coincidentally, these businesses retain the highest purchase price multiples, thereby assuring the most conservative loan-to-value ratios. Finally, these PE sponsors and their operating partners identify secular trends in industries where roll-up strategies can build long-term value. Rather than waiting to […]
For investors, then, conditions remain propitious for private credit. The delivery of yield premiums to liquids, lower risk, and predictable income should continue. With rates still high, leverage should remain in a range. And the more growth-oriented sectors will likely continue to offer the best opportunities for investing and financing… ▶︎ Read June 10th 2024 […]
The media seems to characterize amendments and extensions as financing gimmicks, but they are well-worn features of the leverage finance playbook. As interest coverage cushions are squeezed, giving borrowers room to maneuver enhances their flexibility and resilience. The same theoretically could be said about cov-lite and PIK-toggle features. Sahar panelists spoke at length about how […]
How challenging has it been to predict the next recession? An inverted Treasury yield curve, a reliable forecaster of the past eight consecutive downturns, has been signaling recession for almost two years. So far, the economy has failed to cooperate. While growth is slowing, and inflation along with it, expectations are broad of a solid […]
Some credit managers, in more desperate bids to put idle cash to work, are offering aggressive terms to smaller businesses. Large cap features such as PIK-toggle and cov-lite provide cushions in balance sheets when pro forma interest or fixed charge coverage ratios sink below 1:1. Over the next several weeks, we’ll revisit private credit market […]
We’ve spent the last six weeks outlining best practices top direct lenders employ so portfolios generate the highest returns complemented by the lowest risk. Nevertheless, stuff happens. In fact, we count on stuff happening. You need to be prepared to deal with those eventualities. Workout fatigue is a real thing. It’s tempting to dismiss businesses […]
Our underwriting teams start by analyzing financials from portfolio company CFOs, comparing them to prior year, budget, and downside cases. This is helpful to evaluate management: are they doing what they are saying? PMs get color on material deviations from plan, looking at items such as margin performance due to price increases and cost cuts. […]
This week we continue our series on best practices of top private credit firms with a look at how underwriting teams partner closely with their internal colleagues to ensure the most favorable execution for their sponsor clients and investors. Clear communications with private equity partners at the deal screening stage is essential. Quick and decisive […]