Rob Fawn from PGIM Fixed Income discusses navigating the new paradigm in leveraged finance. Topics include default rate predictions, special situation strategies, aggressive liability management in Europe, cooperation agreements, French restructuring processes, challenges in levered real estate, and successful deal sourcing in distressed markets.
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Quick takeaways
10% of the leverage finance market is distressed, presenting opportunities for strategies targeting these situations.
Global default rates to rise by 1-2% due to unsustainable capital structures caused by higher interest rates.
Deep dives
Challenges in Leverage Finance Markets
A significant portion of the global leverage finance market, about 10%, is currently trading at stressed or distressed levels, presenting a substantial opportunity for strategies targeting these situations. As spreads tighten, defaults are increasing primarily due to the unsustainable capital structures caused by higher interest rates. This market segment poses challenges as only a few managers are equipped to handle the complexity, leading to dislocations and increased dispersion.
Default Rate Predictions and Market Dynamics
The podcast predicts that global default rates will rise by 1 to 2% over the next 12 to 24 months, stabilizing at that level for an extended period. This new default paradigm is driven by the unwind of cheap financing, affecting legacy capital structures. While this level of defaults is manageable, it signifies a shift in the market with implications for investors and opportunities for credit strategies focusing on distressed situations.
Liability Management and Market Dynamics
Liability management exercises are expected to be prominent in this credit cycle, with businesses leveraging Lucid documentation and game theory to navigate capital structures. Although the European legal framework offers some protections, complex restructuring processes require detailed analysis and the consideration of multiple outcomes. Cooperation agreements among lenders are emerging tactics that could influence the dynamics of distressed investments.
The current interest rate environment is driving a rise in downgrades, special situations and liability management exercises. But how to know which of the increasing number of stressed and distressed credits are worth adding to — or keeping in — the portfolio?
In this week’s episode of Cloud 9fin, senior reporter Bianca Boorer sits down with Rob Fawn, a portfolio manager in the European leveraged finance team at PGIM Fixed Income, to talk about how this new era is creating new challenges and new opportunities for leveraged finance teams.
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