Consumer lending

Westlake Automobile Receivables Trust 2020-2 pools a portfolio of loans for mostly high-mileage used-vehicles financed by the privately held Westlake through independent and franchise dealers. The deal includes a $370.9 million triple-A tranche (as preliminarily rated by S&P Global Ratings and DBRS Morningstar) that benefits from 42.75% initial credit enhancement.

A budget item establishing a new agency to protect consumers from predatory lenders has been put on hold as state officials deal with the coronavirus response and other priorities. But it could be revived in legislative talks later this summer.

If delinquency rates rise, all four stand-alone firms would have a capital shortfall.

Potential COVID-19 stresses include a rising tide of unemployed borrowers missing payments and seeking extensions, as well as falling used-car values.

About 9% of government-insured loans in forbearance have low equity, which could hamper post-forbearance servicing.

But there was an increase in private-label mortgages in forbearance.

Global Lending Services, a subprime auto lender that has ramped down its expansion plans for 2020 amid the coronavirus outbreak, is proceeding with its second auto-loan securitization of the year.

The fixed-rate loans from Earnest involve refinancings to advanced degree professionals who have greater financial means to make payments despite the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exeter, DriveTime and CPS last week joined a small club of subprime auto lenders sponsoring ABS deals since their TALF eligibility was announced.

Since March, issuers have tightened their criteria for opening new accounts and closed millions of existing ones in hopes of avoiding waves of defaults.