Talking junior capital with Chris Wright of Crescent
Aug 4, 2023
auto_awesome
Chris Wright of Crescent Capital discusses managing capital structures during a downturn, rise in popularity of ARR loans, exploiting loopholes in the private credit market, and the current economic situation and the maturity wall.
Junior debt is increasingly important in providing runway for overleveraged companies in the current rate environment.
Restructuring deals demonstrate the benefits of lenders collaborating instead of using traditional majority approaches to optimize outcomes.
Deep dives
Distress in the credit markets: Quiet and behind the scenes
Behind the scenes, there is a pick-up in non-traditional deals in the credit markets. Companies are facing stress due to the increase in base rates and the trajectory of rates, which has pushed out the distress cycle. Distress is not widespread yet, but it is in the early stages. Default rates remain low, but stress is being put on companies due to higher rates. The current environment is more of a rate environment phenomenon than a result of poor company performance.
Restructuring deals as tools for distress situations
Restructuring deals, like Kavana and Finastra, demonstrate how lenders are working together to optimize outcomes. Sponsors and lenders understand that collaborating leads to better results than using the traditional majority approach. Junior debt is becoming increasingly important in providing runway for overleveraged companies. Companies can utilize equity, junior debt, and senior lenders to right-size their capital structure and manage cash flow burdens. This is a growing trend in the current rate environment.
Junior debt: Providing essential runway and reducing cash pay burdens
Junior debt plays a critical role in reducing the cash pay obligations of overleveraged companies. By bringing in junior lenders and reducing the cash pay debt burden, companies can sustain their operations and manage their debt. This type of debt helps in situations where companies are performing well but struggle due to high cash service burdens resulting from the base rate environment. With equity contributions and supportive lenders, companies can find solutions to their debt challenges.
Risk and opportunities in today's credit cycle
While there is uncertainty about the duration of the stress and distress cycle, there are opportunities to solve the cash interest burdens faced by companies. The anticipated slowdown next year may offer a soft landing. The maturity wall in the bond market poses challenges, but the loan market is relatively better positioned due to lower refinancing impact. Companies and lenders are maintaining relationships and avoiding exploitation of documentation loopholes. Private credit is focused on relationship-driven approaches and protecting credit investments.
Sometimes it feels like the next wave of distress in the debt markets is always two quarters away. What if it’s already here — less of a tsunami and more of a gradual rise in the sea level?
Chris Wright runs the private markets group at Crescent Capital, and has plenty of experience as a junior capital provider to stressed credits. As we reported this week, tapping third parties for instruments such as preferred equity and holdco PIK debt has become an increasingly popular strategy for borrowers facing tricky maturities.
In this week’s episode of the podcast, Will Caiger-Smith quizzes Chris on what these types of situations can teach us about distress, and how the markets deal with it in 2023.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode