Is the middle market at an inflection point? Download PitchBook’s Report here. Much has been said on the consistent strength of the US middle market—much of it by us. Commenting as a data provider, we’ve found it tricky to creatively analyze the middle market without repeating ourselves. That said, there are a few unique ways to…
Europe-Focused Private Debt Assets under Management Reach $200bn The European private debt universe has exploded over the last decade, and funds focused on the region now hold $200bn in assets under management. Europe has been a key area of interest for investors in private debt. In fact, almost half (47%) of private investors surveyed by…
When market makers start sending runs based on nation states rather than sectors it may be a harbinger of fundamental change in how European credit is traded. That is precisely what we are seeing as the Brexit process descended into chaos. A number of UK cabinet members have resigned in protest at Theresa May’s draft…
Combined AUM surpassed $750bn for U.S. CLOs and retail loan funds CLOs manage roughly half of current institutional loan outstandings with retail loan funds managing an additional 14%. Their respective shares have been steady, hovering around these levels since mid-2015 when CLOs first reached a 50% share of outstandings. Meanwhile, the pie has certainly grown…
Why the secondaries surge? Download PitchBook’s Report here. Secondaries fundraising continues apace, gathering another $26.3 billion through early Q4. That puts 2018 slightly behind last year’s record, but this year will still mark a third consecutive year with strong numbers. As a strategy, secondaries have garnered attention recently—buy-side LPs are pushing for PE exposure at the…
Credit managers should embrace transparency Fund transparency should become a key part of the asset class as it continues its maturation. It’s no secret alternative assets are among the most expensive investment strategies. Of course, private credit, private equity and the like require a much more staffing-intensive effort than passive investment vehicles may need, and…
Strong Private Debt Performance Pushes Dry Powder to Record Highs Distressed debt has outperformed the other private debt strategies examined over the one-year horizon to December 2017, generating returns of 11%. Direct lending, however, has been the strongest strategy over the three- and five-year horizons, generating returns of 9.6% for the three years to December…
First-closing fee discounts can set GPs apart A surprising number of private markets managers don’t offer a break to their funds’ earliest investors. Private fund managers seem reticent to offer early-bird management fee discounts, according to two new surveys, closing a potential avenue to differentiate themselves as fundraising slows down. Private Debt Investor sister publication…
After a tumultuous October, BDC price/NAV turns back up amid favorable earnings BDC share prices are back on the mend this month amid favorable 3Q18 earnings following an extremely volatilie October which wiped out price based returns for many. After going into negative territory in October, the Wells Fargo BDC Index is recovering lost ground…
The chart that never goes down Download PitchBook’s Report here. Between 2004 and 2008—considered by many to be the boom days of private equity—PE’s combined company inventory climbed 74% in the United States. Over the span of five years, in other words, the number of companies under PE control came fairly close to doubling. That was…