Donna M. Mitchell

Affirm Asset Securitization benefits from overcollateralization in several forms. Target overcollateralization during the revolving period will equal 2.65% of the initial adjusted pool balance.

The pool consists of 16,272 contracts, with an average contract balance of $93,502. On a weighted average (WA) basis, the contracts have an original term of 55.7 months.

Mellecker, a former Goldman MD, will focus on a range of securitizations, structured private credit deals and private placements in its structured finance and structured private credit practice.

More than 91.7% of the portfolio loans were extended to dentists, general medical practitioners or veterinary surgeons—considered prime obligors.

Only loans from the Achieve Personal Loan product line are in the current collateral pool.

Overcollateralization, subordination of the junior notes, a non-declining cash reserve account and excess spread provide credit enhancement to the notes.

Since 2019, the portfolio has recorded five defaults—driven by bankruptcies—and each was resolved with a 100% recovery rate, Fitch said.

The 1,055 loans in the pool are primarily non-qualified mortgages and loans that are exempt from ability-to-repay rules, which represent 36.4% and 43.87% of the pool, respectively.

The transaction has a nine-month revolving period. All of the leases are closed end, where the issuer bears the residual value risk, and more of them can be added during that period.

Total initial credit enhancement includes over-collateralization representing 8.95% of the initial pool balance, which is expected to build to a targeted level of 13.95%.

Aside from a $2 million penalty for violating the servicing laws, but the order included told Fay Servicing to pay consumers $3 million in redress and make a $2 million capital investment updating its servicing technology and compliance management systems.

Among the credit challenges, is the lack of amortization on the loans, and the loans are heavily concentrated among states and MSAs.

Fora Financial Asset Securitization, 2024-1, is the first for Fora Financial since 2021, and its third securitization overall. Tier 2 saw the greatest shift in credit distributions among the six credit tiers since the last deal.

FCI Funding 2024-1 has an additional tax liens account that can purchase up to $23 million of qualified assets on or prior to the second anniversary of the deal's closing date, while the subsequent tax lien account will be funded to $5 million for use during the reinvestment period.

The transaction's notes have increased excess spread, as well as some structural optimization by the issuer, S&P said, which helps account for lower total initial hard credit enhancement levels for all classes of notes.

The pool contains 494,987 accounts, where the top borrower accounts for 0.32%, and the top five account for 1.19%, and its granularity counts as a positive credit attribute.

Retail properties account for the largest portion, at 23.5%, according to KBRA. Lodging follows, with 22.1% of the pool.

The notes will repay investors sequentially, after a two-year revolving period. That's when proceeds from principal payoffs can be reinvested in the deal through newly originated loans added to the pool.

There is no subordination for the class A notes, but managers opted for much more overcollateralization, which stands at 18.0% as a percentage of the initial pool balance.

A 1.50% residual value risk, down 1.50% from the prior transaction; and an Aaa loss of level 8.50%, an increase of 50 bps, puts expected losses at a Aaa is 10.0%, down 1.0% from the prior transaction.