The Credit Edge by Bloomberg Intelligence cover image

The Credit Edge by Bloomberg Intelligence

First Eagle Plays Safe as Credit Spreads Get Squeezed

Jan 9, 2025
Jim Fellows, Co-president and CIO of First Eagle Alternative Credit, shares his insights on the current credit landscape. He highlights the tightening debt spreads and urges a conservative approach in leveraged loans and high-yield bonds. The conversation digs into opportunities in asset-based lending and trends in middle-market loan pricing. Fellows also discusses the outlook for buyout finance and the challenges posed by private credit defaults, revealing the complexities and risks in today's investment climate.
37:02

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • First Eagle warns of conservative investment strategies in credit markets due to tightening spreads and the lack of obvious value.
  • Despite challenges in certain sectors, the lower middle market presents unique investment opportunities as direct lenders capitalize on less competition.

Deep dives

Current Trends in Credit Markets

Credit markets are experiencing a significant surge, with expectations for record debt issuance, primarily for refinancing purposes. The demand for high-grade debt remains strong, offering yields approaching 5.4%, which is appealing to investors amid low default risk. However, this has resulted in thin spreads, pushing investors towards structured finance and private debt for potentially better returns. A notable concern arises over risk mispricing in the current climate, which could exacerbate in 2025, leading to increased caution among market participants.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

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