CDOs

Since Nov. 21, investors have withdrawn a net $14.88B from the loan fund market amid concerns the Fed will limit rate hikes in 2019; the exodus makes loans even more of a buyer's market for CLOs.

A Wells Fargo report this week shows that market spreads for the triple-A notes backed by collateralized loan obligation assets are at 128, a level not seen since May 2017.

The $500 million AIG CLO 2018-1, AIG's first deal since selling off its asset management business in 2010, is priced at 132 basis points over three-month Libor.

The €350 million Providus CLO II is backed exclusively by loans to mid-market firms that meet the private equity firm's sustainability criteria; at closing, 90% of the collateral has been identified.

The LA-based manager is pricing the replacement AAA notes of Oaktree EIF III Series 1 inside recent market averages through a limited, brief noncall extension.

The $308 million Deepath CLO 2018-1 has an unusually large allowance for riskier triple-C loans of up to 17.5% of the portfolio.

The $153.7 million Peaks CLO 3 also features a high ceiling for triple-C-rated loans and for "current-pay" loans that meet one or more criteria for default.

Both managers are pricing their 3rd CLOs of 2018; the 135 basis point spread on Zais' is among the widest this year for a deal backed by broadly syndicated loans.

Guggenheim joins GSO/Blackstone and Bain Capital as longtime CLO managers expanding into the SME space this year.

More collateralized loan obligations are failing weighted-average lift tests due to the dearth of available loans whose near-term maturities could provide some relief to portfolios.

Kroll assigned an AA+ to the Class A-1 tranche of EJF’s $351 million TruPS transaction, up two notches from AA- on the sponsor's prior transaction.

Eagle Point's CEO criticized "hyperbole" about growing risks in leveraged loans and CLOs, noting the benefits that price volatility can present to equity buyers.

The structured credit specialist will more than double its $2.9 billion in assets by acquiring a portfolio of three collateralized loan obligations that Trimaran Advisors runs from KCAP Financial.

According to presale reports, PGIM is marketing a $509.5 million Dryden 61 CLO transaction in the states, while also prepping a €411 million Dryden 66 Euro CLO portfolio.

The firm's risk profile has not altered, executives said on a third-quarter earnings call Wednesday; it remains "appropriately cautious."

The €411 million deal puts it in the small club of UK managers that have completed three or more transactions in 2018.

The New York-based firm is adding 4.9 years to the reinvestment period of the $518.6 million Neuberger Berman CLO XVIII.

The London-based manager is including two classes of fixed-rate notes, including a rare triple-A rated nonvariable-rate tranche, in its €412 million Contego VI DAC portfolio.

It seems a lot of CLO managers who were worried about competing amid heavy supply in the fourth quarter have put issuance on hold until 1Q 2019.

S&P also upgraded five more senior tranches of the deals citing paydowns, which in one CLO was accelerated by the diversion of interest from sub notes.