The Credit Edge by Bloomberg Intelligence Bloomberg

Small-cap US companies are at risk of default as debt comes due and the economy slows, according to Alan McKnight chief investment officer at Regions Bank. “Look at the Russell 2000 — over 50% of those names are non-earners right now. They’re actually unprofitable,” McKnight says in the latest Credit Edge podcast from Bloomberg Intelligence. “There’s a lot of names in that sort of realm that could be on the tipping point, particularly in light of when they have to refinance their debt,” he tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and Bloomberg Intelligence credit analyst Matthew Geudtner. McKnight sees particular stress on companies exposed to low-income US consumers. McKnight and Geudtner also discuss opportunities in the industrial and defense sectors, including major borrowers like Honeywell and Lockheed Martin. 
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Antares Capital, the US-based private credit firm, is looking to expand in Europe and also sees opportunity in real estate, infrastructure and asset-backed finance. “In order to scale, we’d probably need to do an acquisition,” Tim Lyne, the direct lender’s chief executive officer, says in the latest Credit Edge podcast from Bloomberg Intelligence. “We are constantly evaluating Europe,” he tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and Bloomberg Intelligence senior credit analyst David Havens. Lyne and Havens also discuss Antares’ funding strategy, areas of market stress, fundraising and the broadening of the private credit investor base. “You’re beginning to see this democratization of the asset class,” says Lyne.
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 Politics and commercial real estate are the biggest perils for banks, according to Bloomberg Intelligence senior credit analysts Arnold Kakuda and Jeroen Julius. “In terms of CRE, it hits mostly the smaller regional banks,” Kakuda tells Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie in the latest Credit Edge podcast from Bloomberg Intelligence. “If the sovereign rating comes down or is put on negative outlook, bank ratings are likely to follow,” Julius says, referring to European financial institutions. In addition, Julius and Kakuda debate unrealized losses sitting on balance sheets, consolidation, regulation and the outlook for more bank bond issuance. They also weigh opportunities in Additional Tier 1 and preferred debt. “You get high-yield returns for IG risk,” says Kakuda, speaking of the latter. 
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Private credit markets are under pressure from high interest rates, while excess demand is keeping spreads low, according to Wayne Dahl, co-portfolio manager for Oaktree’s global credit and investment grade solutions strategies. “I think there will be some general stress,” says Dahl in the latest Credit Edge podcast from Bloomberg Intelligence. “When people get excited, they put money in — the end investor has no choice but to invest that, and therefore you’ll maybe see spreads compress a little bit more than would otherwise be warranted,” Dahl tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and BI Senior Credit Analyst Mike Holland. Also in this episode, Dahl and Holland discuss risk in the health care sector, as well as opportunities in consumer staples, insurance and securitized credit. 
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Commercial mortgage-backed securities are the best credit opportunity for the next 12 months, according to Oded Manor, global head of fixed income manager research at BlackRock. “CMBS is super-interesting because everyone hates it — or many people hate it,” says Manor in the latest Credit Edge podcast from Bloomberg Intelligence. “That market is already pricing a lot of the negative news, unlike many other parts,” Manor tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and BI Senior Credit Analyst Jody Lurie. Also in this episode, Manor and Lurie discuss liquidity risk, as well as relative value between bonds and loans. In addition, Manor talks about headwinds in European credit markets from the upcoming French election.
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Up to a quarter of Europe’s high-yield borrowers can’t afford to pay the current high interest rates to refinance debt that’s coming due, according to alternative asset manager Arini. “The market has been very active in refinancing these companies but we still have a lot to do,” says Hamza Lemssouguer, founder and chief investment officer of Arini, in the latest Credit Edge podcast from Bloomberg Intelligence. For as much as 25% of the market, “it’s just impossible to afford the current interest rates,” Lemssouguer tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and Giulia Morpurgo, and Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Credit Analyst Tolu Alamutu. Also in this episode, Lemssouguer and Alamutu discuss challenges in the commercial and residential real estate sector. And Lemssouguer talks about how to invest in debt collectors. 
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