1 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to The Credit Edge, a weekly markets podcast. 2 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: My name is James Crumbie. I'm a senior editor at Bloomberg. 3 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: This week, we're very pleased to have on the show 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: Lisa Lee, who covers credit markets for Bloomberg News and 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: is based in London. How are you, Lisa. 6 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 2: Fine? 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:29,639 Speaker 3: Thank you, James, and thank you for so much for 8 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 3: having me. 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: We're also delighted to welcome Stephan Kohochef, who focuses on 10 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: shipping at Bloomberg Intelligence, also in London. 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:38,599 Speaker 2: Hi, James, thanks for having me. 12 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: We'll be coming back to Stefan to talk about how 13 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: container shipping is starting to fall apart after a major 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: boom during the pandemic when we were all cooped up 15 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: at home ordering stuff online. So do stay with us. 16 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:52,599 Speaker 1: But first, Lisa Lee with Bloomberg News, there's a lot 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: going on right now with clos. You've been all over 18 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: that story and that's some you know, for those who 19 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: don't know, that's collateralized loan obligations. So let's start with 20 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: the elephant in the room. What is a colo and 21 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: why do we care? 22 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: So? 23 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 3: Colos are vehicles that buy leverage loans, and leverage loans 24 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,199 Speaker 3: are debts of junk rated companies that are floating rate, 25 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 3: and they buy them and they repackage them and sell 26 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 3: them as bond of different ratings that range from triple A, 27 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 3: which is the safest all the way down to what's 28 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 3: called colo equity. And there are big buyer in the 29 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 3: leverage loan market and fuel issues for private equity deals 30 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 3: and also for just like names like Burger King and 31 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 3: names that you might know Flora in the UK. 32 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: So they buy loans, repackage them, sell them onto different investors. 33 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: Is that yes, okay? So are they anything like the 34 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: CDOs which blew up the financial system in two thousand 35 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: and eight. 36 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 3: They're similar in that the way they securitize their assets 37 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 3: very similar to CDOs. That's why they have a very 38 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 3: similar name. Different about a CDO and the clo iss 39 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 3: what goes into the securitized vehicle. These are corporate debt 40 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 3: and considered a lot more safer than some of the 41 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 3: dicey junk mortgage backed derivatives that were that caused the 42 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 3: financial crisis. So even though these are junk rated debt 43 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 3: and more likely to go bankrupt than say your Apple 44 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: or your Microsoft, they're still historically only about four percent defaults. 45 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 3: Bankruptcies are fairly low and recoveries have been fairly high, 46 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 3: so they're considered a lot safer, and very few clos 47 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 3: have gone bussed, even during the financial crisis. 48 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: So you're writing right now that resets, why are they 49 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: happening right now? 50 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 2: And what? 51 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: Just tell us what they are? 52 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 3: Okay, So resets are a type of refinancing that sort 53 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 3: of became in vogue around twenty seventeen twenty eighteen, And 54 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 3: what they do is they extend the life of a clo. 55 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 3: Colo is supposed to be a finite vehicle that after 56 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 3: a number of years, you sell the loans and you 57 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 3: return cash to all the investors. Well, a reset, sort 58 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 3: of like what you would consider a refinancing of a 59 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 3: higher bond or an ig bond, extends the maturity and 60 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: also sets the bond pricing at a different level. And 61 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 3: they've been pretty much dead in the water for the 62 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 3: last past over a year since the war in Ukraine, 63 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 3: just because it just didn't make sense anymore. But they've 64 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 3: started to come back, and we've saw two regular traditional 65 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 3: clos do these resets, and it's a real indication that 66 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 3: markets are starting to heal from f a year of 67 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 3: really painful of returns and eels. 68 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: So an investor who is you know, has owns a 69 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: piece of this thing, this structure that repackages leverage loans 70 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: from companies. They are essentially being told that they need 71 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: to hold on to them for longer. Will they get 72 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: paid more for doing that? 73 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 3: No, they actually get paid less. So that is the 74 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 3: issues in the COLO. They take all the interest payments 75 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 3: that a leverage loan makes and they press them into 76 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 3: a different investors, so triple a investor will get a 77 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 3: lot less than say a single be investor and an 78 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 3: equity investor. And what a reset does is they take 79 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 3: away the yield, some of the yield that bond investor 80 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 3: gets and increase the returns of equity investors. So why 81 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 3: would a bond investor play along? Well, you have to 82 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 3: look at the prevailing issuance and the yield that you 83 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 3: can get in the market right now. What they can 84 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 3: either say yes, will take a lower interest payment, or 85 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 3: you can get out and you can try to find 86 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 3: another deal that pays similar there and they really can't. 87 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 3: So you have the option to roll, option to leave. 88 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 3: Some do leave and try to put their money in 89 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 3: different areas, but that is why they would take the 90 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 3: lower interest rate. 91 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: So rates globally have gone up quite a bit. You 92 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: can get an investment grade bond for five percent yield 93 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: right now, which is, you know, much more than junk 94 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: was yielding even a year ago. Why do you go 95 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: into clasteralize loan obligations? I mean, do you get paid 96 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: significantly more or is it just a diversification or is 97 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: it what's the benefit? 98 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 3: You do get paid more than a corporate bond. So yes, 99 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 3: everything has gone up. But so you look at a 100 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 3: comparable triple A of a CLO and you look at 101 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 3: a triple A IG bond, they've both gone up, but 102 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 3: a CLO has gone up even further. They're floating rate 103 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 3: for one so based off so for a youur bore 104 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 3: and so far is past five percent right now. And 105 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 3: on top of that you get a spread. Now, the 106 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 3: reason why they pay more is because of the complexity. 107 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 3: You know what you're getting with an Apple bond, just 108 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 3: the debt of Apple here, it's a pool of one hundred, 109 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 3: two hundred, three hundred leverage loans and because of that 110 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 3: you do get an extra spread. So if you're interested 111 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 3: in a triple A with high yield. 112 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: Then you go into a CLO complexity. That's that's always 113 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: been a problem in the past. You know, the most complex, 114 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: least transparent markets to where they trable usually starts. How 115 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: worried should we be about this kind of structured product 116 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: right now? Is there trouble brewing with all of this 117 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: repackaging of risky loans, and particularly at the time when 118 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: you know the economy is slowing, rates are going up, 119 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 1: these companies are going to be struggling to pay back 120 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: at some point right. 121 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 3: It's interesting you mentioned that, James, because in the past, 122 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 3: no less than the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the Bank 123 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 3: of England, the IMF has highlighted and flagged COLO as 124 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 3: a possible area of systemic risk. And that not only 125 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 3: that a problem in the leverage loan a CLO market 126 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 3: could also transfer on and and destabilize the financial system. 127 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 3: So it is an area of risk. So regulators are 128 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 3: tracking it very carefully. They have so far performed well. 129 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 3: But if defaults spike up much higher and recoveries which 130 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 3: is what investors get when a loan goes into bankruptcy, 131 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 3: is significantly lower, then they could be an area of worry. 132 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 3: As of yet, there is no hint that it's problems 133 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 3: are happening, but it might. We never know. 134 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 2: We never know. 135 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: And the flip side, of course, is that you've mentioned 136 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: the regulators and they're constantly throwing stones at this market 137 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: and saying, you know, it's going to blow up, it's 138 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: going to get us into trouble. But it never it 139 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: never has. 140 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 3: Oh, it never has. That's the thing. So you have history, 141 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 3: but you know history can only point to a future, 142 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 3: and so for so much the market is constantly changing 143 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 3: and evolving. So history is a good guy, but it 144 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 3: is not a perfect eye. 145 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: So leverage loans on the on the underlying side, you 146 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: mentioned a bit about defaults. I still think that we're 147 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: underestimating them, given you know, the pressures from lower earnings 148 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: and much much higher rates. You know, rates just jumped 149 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: faster and more than anyone was expecting. That has to 150 00:07:57,760 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: lead to some problems, right, I mean we have to 151 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: think about losses and leverage loans at some point. 152 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. So bankruptcys have hit a more than a decade 153 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 3: high right now, and we're seeing more companies go and 154 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 3: all companies that like sort of what we used to 155 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 3: call zombie companies have layered on dead and use debt 156 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 3: to keep going. They're probably gonna go bus is their 157 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 3: time to actually sort of flush out the system. But 158 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 3: still defaults are way below historical norms, so it's anticipated 159 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 3: and we'll oh very much depend on the course of 160 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 3: trajectory of the economy. There's a lot of people who 161 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:38,840 Speaker 3: think now that the US is going to avoid a 162 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,599 Speaker 3: big recession. If we do that, then there's gonna be 163 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 3: less stress. If we have a protracted recession because of 164 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 3: raid hikes and the economy contracts, and we will have 165 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 3: a much bigger problem. So it's very much dependent on 166 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 3: the Federal reserve, inflation and whether we go into a 167 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 3: recession or not, both in Europe and in the US. 168 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: So just to go back to this sort of one 169 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,959 Speaker 1: key subject of CLO resets, as you say, it kind 170 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 1: of shows that credit conditions are getting easier. 171 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 2: You know. 172 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 1: On the one hand, I'd be interested in your thoughts 173 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: on whether this is a global phenomenon, I mean beyond 174 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,719 Speaker 1: just you know, the US, is it happening elsewhere? And 175 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: then secondly, is it an all clear signal? Should we 176 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: just breathe a big sigh of relief that the credit 177 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: markets aren't going to blow up and everything's just going 178 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: to get better from here. 179 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 3: So the anticipation is it's happened in the US and 180 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 3: then it probably will happen in Europe about six months time. 181 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 3: So these CLO resets have what's called a non call 182 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 3: to protect bond investors, So you can't do these resets 183 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: for a period of time, usually a year and in 184 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 3: Europe a year and a half. And so for the 185 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 3: for the type of deal that makes sense to do 186 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 3: a reset, you'll probably see them later in Europe. And 187 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 3: that's the point that it's healed from last year. So 188 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 3: the second half of last year things were tighter and 189 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 3: worse and things have improved, but it's not healed from 190 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 3: the beginning of last year or pre Ukraine attack, I 191 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 3: mean an attack on Ukraine, or before the raid hikes 192 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 3: and before inflation really soared. So no, there's still a 193 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 3: ways to go, and it might be a while before 194 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 3: we get to that period where money as easy and 195 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 3: credit condition as easy as it works before. But perhaps 196 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 3: you could say it maybe those conditions were too easy, 197 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 3: in which we shouldn't go back to them. 198 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: But in terms of what this signals. I mean, it's 199 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: not an all clear. We're not out of the woods. 200 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 3: Are Oh absolutely not. It's not absolutely not an all 201 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 3: clear signal. It's just a hint that some things are improving. 202 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: So too early to break out the champagne way too early. 203 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: So before we talked to Stefan Kobchev of Bloomberg Intelligence, 204 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: what's the next big story to watch here on your beat, Lisa, 205 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 1: I mean to expect a big revival in leverage loan 206 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: issuance in September. Is there going to be some other 207 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: big trend that you're looking at? 208 00:10:55,600 --> 00:11:00,679 Speaker 3: So we are hearing from PE sources and from M 209 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 3: and A bankers that a small pipeline is developing, so 210 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 3: we might see more M and A issuance coming up. 211 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 3: And the lever's landmark is very much driven by M 212 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 3: and A and LBO issuance. But as of VIAT the pipeline, 213 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 3: it's July now, and for for the pipeline to see 214 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 3: a big issue in boost in September, it already already 215 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 3: needs to be here. So I don't think we're going 216 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 3: to see a big issuance burst in September, but perhaps 217 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 3: later in the year we might see a moderate pickup 218 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 3: great stuff. 219 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: Lisa Lee from Bloomberg News, thank you so much for 220 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: joining us. 221 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 3: Thank you. 222 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: You can read all of Lisa's scoops on the Bloomberg 223 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: terminal and of course at Bloomberg dot com. So, as 224 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 1: I mentioned earlier, shipping is a massive global business that's 225 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 1: done very well over the last few years, but it's 226 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 1: really hitting a wall right now, and to walk us 227 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: through it, we're very pleased to have with us Stefan Kochef, 228 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: who covers the sector for Bloomberg Intelligence based in London. 229 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: How's it going, Stefan? 230 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 2: Very well, Jane, thank you. So what's the. 231 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: Latest from container shipping company, Stefan? How are they doing well? 232 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 2: Container shipping companies have in the last three years. So 233 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 2: during the pandemic, people shifted from spending from services to 234 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 2: buying more goods online, So a big increase in demand 235 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,319 Speaker 2: for container shipping during the pandemic, which led to container 236 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 2: shipping companies charging five to six times more for bringing 237 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 2: a container box from China to let's say Long Beach 238 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 2: in the US or Rotterdam here in Europe. So if 239 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 2: you fast forward to today, if freight rates are down 240 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,839 Speaker 2: and are nearing pre pandemic levels, and looks like metrics 241 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 2: in the sector are set to deteriorate very quickly in 242 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,439 Speaker 2: the coming quarters. So historically this has been a very 243 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: hotil cyclical and competitive industry, and we believe this deteriorating 244 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,959 Speaker 2: outlook may not be fully reflected yet in the bond 245 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 2: markets that we follow. 246 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: So how come companies were able to charge six times 247 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: the pre pandemic prices and that sounds inflationary? Can you 248 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: break that down for us? 249 00:12:55,240 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 2: Sure? Very inflation indeed, well on the supply side only 250 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 2: it's mainly about supplying demound to be honest. And the 251 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 2: supply side of things, there is about six thousand container 252 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 2: ships in the world, huge ships, by the way, the 253 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 2: size of a skyscraper like the Empire State Building in 254 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 2: New York, and it takes two to three years to 255 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 2: build a new ship in order to add capacity, so 256 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 2: very inelastic fixed capacity in the short term. And then 257 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 2: at the same time, on the demand side of the equation, 258 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,199 Speaker 2: during the pandemic, suddenly all of us wanted to have 259 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,559 Speaker 2: a new chair for our work from home setup, or 260 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 2: an extra monitor, maybe toys for our kids. And beyond 261 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 2: supplying demand, there was also a degree of boord, congestion, 262 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 2: worker shortages, COVID heartbreaks, etc. So if Ikea or Nike 263 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,439 Speaker 2: or anyone else wanted their goods delivered quickly from Asia 264 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 2: to Europe or the US, they had to pay up 265 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,559 Speaker 2: to secure capacity on the ships. So companies in the 266 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 2: sector transporting these containers were able to charge five six 267 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 2: times more during the pandemic, and some of the companies 268 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 2: we followed have had record profits, you know in terms 269 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: of EHBEIT down free cash flow in the last few years. 270 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 2: But the good news is that we are now back 271 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 2: to pre pandemic levels. So to give you some numbers, 272 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: shipping a forty food container from Asia to Europe cost 273 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 2: about one thousand to two thousand dollars pre pandemic, and 274 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 2: this went up to ten thousand dollars at the peak 275 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 2: of the pandemic and is now down to about fifteen 276 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 2: hundred dollars. But yes, companies in the sector do have 277 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 2: very strong balance sheets after three years of record revenues. 278 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: So what are they doing with all the money? I mean, 279 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: we're infecting a lot of m and A or some 280 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: debt reduction. 281 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 2: There has been some m and A, but not the 282 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 2: horizontal MNA. One could expect we have not seen major 283 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 2: consolidation in the industry, and this can be explained by 284 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 2: the fact that there are limited synergies in having more 285 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 2: container ships. So basically, instead of you know, buying a competitor, 286 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 2: you could just go and order more ships to be 287 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 2: built for you. So instead, container shipping companies with all 288 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 2: the cash generated, they have been diversifying their revenue streams 289 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 2: away from containers, so by buying logistical companies for last 290 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 2: mad deliveries, or investing in planes to offer air cargo, 291 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 2: buying some software companies, etc. But overall small ballt on acquisitions. 292 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 2: There has been some debt reduction and dividend distribution. But 293 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: I think the key takeaways that shipping companies are well 294 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 2: aware of the cyclicality of the industry and they want 295 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 2: to be more prudent as the cycle is turning and 296 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: outlook is already worsening quite quickly in the industry. 297 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: Let's talk a bit about what changed the me. Why 298 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: are you more negative on the outlook generally for the industry. 299 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 2: Well, I think it's again going back to supply and demand. 300 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 2: So the big driver for me is the demand side 301 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: of the equation. High inflation rates macroeconomic volatility, I mean 302 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 2: lower disposable incomes. These are worries for all of us 303 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 2: these days. Equally, as economies have reopened, people want to 304 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 2: travel again and go visit family members in other countries, 305 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 2: maybe as opposed to buying yet another piece of furniture 306 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 2: for their living room. So weaker demand for finished goods 307 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 2: is key, But the supply side of the equation is 308 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 2: also normalizing. So what container shipping companies have done with 309 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 2: some of the record profits from the pandemic is to 310 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 2: go and order new ships, thus increasing the actual available capacity. 311 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 2: And usually newer ships are bigger and are more cost efficient, 312 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 2: so everybody needs those ships in a very competitive environment. 313 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 2: So overall, weaker demand for shipping services and increased supply 314 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 2: of ships, and we already see a bit of a 315 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 2: price war in the industry going on at the moment. 316 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 2: So good news for us and consumers, and bad news 317 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 2: for the companies in the sector. 318 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: We believe, okay, probably the big guys will be okay, 319 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: but there must be some smaller companies that maybe weren't 320 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: so ready for the downturn, and you know, our risk 321 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: of distress or you know, even default in the worst 322 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: case when do you expect that in this industry? 323 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, James, you're right. The industry is extremely fragmented. So 324 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 2: maybe the top three players have about fifteen percent market 325 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: share each and then there's a huge tale of around 326 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 2: fifty percent or half of the companies operating an industry 327 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,400 Speaker 2: have under one percent market share. So indeed, the smaller 328 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 2: companies may be most at risk, so those ones may 329 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,719 Speaker 2: feel the pain first. But that being said, even if 330 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 2: the bigger players that you know investors are more familiar with, 331 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 2: such as mrsk or Hapagloyd, maybe they're okay in the 332 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 2: short term, but this doesn't mean that there won't be 333 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 2: any volatility in terms of especially the bonds that we 334 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 2: follow here on the credit side of our research analysis. 335 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: Are there any names particularly do you worry about any 336 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,360 Speaker 1: companies that are struggling techne hard. 337 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 2: Well, I think it's maybe it's important to mention the 338 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 2: actual volatility of the industry. So one of the companies 339 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:19,640 Speaker 2: we we cover CMA CGM, a French container shipping company. 340 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,920 Speaker 2: They've had their rating credit ratings at S and T 341 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 2: go from triple C plus to double B plus, so 342 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 2: a six notch upgrade in the last ten years. Cycle 343 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 2: so it looks like, you know, we are past the 344 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 2: peak of the cycle and coming quickly in the opposite direction. 345 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 2: So we haven't seen any downgrades yet, but we've already 346 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 2: seen earlier this week ZIM, which is a number number 347 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 2: ten player in the industry, had you know, to lower 348 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 2: its guidance for twenty twenty three, So you know, a 349 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 2: few cracks appearing already, and even the bigger players won't 350 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 2: be immune to to potential downgrades in outlook or maybe 351 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 2: credit ratings. So yeah, more of a cautious stance on 352 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: the whole industry. 353 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: I guess at this point, what are the takeaways more 354 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: broadly speaking seven for the credit markets or even for 355 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: the economy of what's gone well on him? It seems 356 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: that there was an unusual event that really inflated pricing 357 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: and gave these companies a massive windfall through the pandemic. 358 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: But are we kind of normalizing now back to prayer trend? 359 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: Is it just getting that to where we were, or 360 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 1: is you know, is there some of the some of 361 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:39,639 Speaker 1: the takeaway from from the post pandemic shipping story that 362 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: you're looking at. 363 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think we if one looks at the balance 364 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 2: sheets and the financial statements of these companies today and 365 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 2: they will be amazed at how, you know, how little 366 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 2: debt they have and how great of a free cash 367 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 2: flow they have generated in the last twelve months. But 368 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 2: you know, looking at the annual report of twenty twenty 369 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 2: two doesn't give you the forward looking chair, especially in 370 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 2: the a cyclical industry such as the container shipping industry. 371 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 2: So I think then the key point is that historically, 372 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 2: shipping credits have always traded at a premium to other 373 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 2: industrial names, which is something we don't see yet in 374 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 2: the credit markets. So for instance, Marska I was mentioning earlier, 375 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 2: a Danish company currently is one of the tighter names 376 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 2: in the triple B space, and a similar story for Hapagloid, 377 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 2: the German container shipping company, one of them tighter names 378 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 2: in the double B euro credit space. So overall, I 379 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 2: think credit valuations will be exposed to two weak or fundamentals, 380 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 2: especially in the second half of this year and next 381 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 2: year when we expect important deliveries of new ships, as 382 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 2: it takes two to three years to actually build a 383 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 2: new ship, so very interesting and potentially volatile times ahead 384 00:20:57,880 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 2: for the industry. 385 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: So the premium shipping gets over industrials in credit markets 386 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: that you think could be eroded, it could be lost. 387 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, if we look back at at historical trends, 388 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 2: I mean the shipping industry in terms of credit spreads, 389 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 2: they have always traded at the premium, and now they're 390 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 2: trading tighter than than the rest of the market. So 391 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 2: it looks like, you know, it doesn't doesn't seem right, 392 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 2: but then it is explained by the very strong balance 393 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 2: sheet and the very strong cashboard generation in the in 394 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 2: the last couple of years. But maybe it won't. It 395 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 2: won't last. 396 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: So maybe instead of trading tight, they're going to be 397 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: trading flat or maybe even wider to the to the industrial. Okay, interesting, Okay, 398 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,360 Speaker 1: So one one last question stevan view on ESG, which 399 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: is the big hot topic at the moment. These big ships, 400 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: they burn a ton of diesel to move all these 401 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: heavy containers around. You know they must be polluting. What's 402 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 1: the industry's answer to reducing CO two emissions? 403 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 2: Well, the shipping represents about three percent of worldwide CO 404 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 2: two emissions, but it actually also transports about seventy to 405 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 2: eighty percent of finished goods worldwide. So in terms of 406 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 2: part ton of goods transported. It has actually a rather 407 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 2: low COEO two emission if we look at other logistical companies. 408 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 2: But the industry is still polluting a lot, obviously, and 409 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 2: I think it all comes down to green fuel availability. 410 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 2: Let's say, when it comes to batteries, it's very easy 411 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 2: to electrify a small scooter or even a car, but 412 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 2: when it comes to a truck or something much heavier, 413 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:40,400 Speaker 2: you all of a sudden need bigger batteries and heavier batteries, 414 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 2: and it's not yet a viable solution. The technology is 415 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:46,439 Speaker 2: not there in terms of batteries. And then if you 416 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 2: look at you know, biomethan or biogas, which are very 417 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 2: promising hydrogen as well, potentially, but we don't know yet 418 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 2: which will be the green fuel of the future, especially 419 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 2: for those big, huge content inner ships. And also the 420 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 2: shipping industry will have to compete with the aviation industry 421 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 2: and tracking industry for those green fuels. But I think 422 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 2: the what's great is that the industry has a clear standards, 423 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 2: clear guidance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 424 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 2: twenty to fifty and we've already seen the bigger players 425 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,200 Speaker 2: out there ordering some dual fuel ships, meaning that those 426 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 2: ships can run on traditional fuels and also biofuels, which 427 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:33,360 Speaker 2: reduce you two emissions by around seventy percent currently. But yeah, 428 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 2: so the industry is slowly but surely moving or sailing, 429 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:39,679 Speaker 2: i should say, towards a greener future. 430 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: Thanks very much. Stefan Kovichev of Bloomberg Intelligence. 431 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 2: Thank you, James. 432 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: You can read all of his great analysis on the 433 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Terminal to check it out and hope to see 434 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 1: you back on the show soon. Stefan, thank you, and 435 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: thanks again to Lisa Lee from Bloomberg News. Thank you 436 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: so much for having me read all of her great 437 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: credit scoops on the Terminal and at Bloomberg dot Com. 438 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: I'm James Crumbie. It's been a pleasure having you join 439 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: us again next week on the Credit Edge.